Glimpses of Love and Affection
by Katrina
Summary: "What the hell did you do that for? You could've been killed," Emma Swan accused loudly as she stalked up to the one-handed pirate who had just blocked and eventually killed a rather nasty looking flying monkey that had been almost on top of her. "I thought it was obvious, Swan. I was saving your life." Captain Swan - Alphabet Challenge series of fic's.
1. H is for Hope

**DISCLAIMER:** "Once Upon A Time" is copyrighted to ABC and Disney-ABC Domestic Television. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**AUTHOR:** Katrina (Bromfield Hall)

**TIMELINE:** Set after "Quiet Minds" and does its own thing from there. Minor spoilers.

**PAIRING:** Captain Hook/Emma Swan, Captain Swan. Some Outlaw Queen and Snowing

**SYNOPSIS:** "What the _hell_ did you do that for? You could've been killed," Emma Swan accused loudly as she stalked up to the one-handed pirate who had just blocked and eventually killed a rather nasty looking flying monkey that had been almost on top of her. "I thought it was obvious, Swan. I was saving your life."

**GENRE:** A little bit of everything – hurt/comfort, romance, fluff, drama, humour, angst…

**RATING:** T...for now.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This is my first story for this particular fandom! It is predominantly an ABC challenge I've set myself and the chapters will comprise of oneshots, vignettes, drabbles and ficlets for each letter of the alphabet. I hope/intend that in the end the story will read as one whole arc but it won't necessarily pick up from the place the previous chapter ended. There will be different POV's, sometimes even first person and the story will mainly centre around Emma and Hook/Killian's relationship although not all the chapter's will necessarily be viewed from their standpoint. This will be an AU fic although I may dip into canon from time to time so there will probably be some minor spoilers.

Anyway, hope you'll give it a chance and enjoy the read :)

**GLIMPSES OF LOVE AND AFFECTION**

_**HOPE: (noun) A feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen**_

"What the _hell_ did you do that for? You could've been killed," Emma Swan accused loudly as she stalked up to the one-handed pirate who had just blocked and eventually killed a rather nasty looking flying monkey that had been almost on top of her.

"I thought it was obvious, Swan. I was saving your life," Killian Jones, or Captain Hook as he was better known, replied through gritted teeth. He slowly straightened up and wiped at his bloodied mouth before facing the angry Saviour.

"At what could've been the expense of _your own_?" she retorted incredulously. The tiny flicker of hope he had that she actually cared was promptly dashed when she added harshly, "Don't do it again, Hook. I don't need your death on my conscience too."

The reminder of Baelfire's untimely demise not a week before sufficiently quelled his urge to automatically rebuff her comments and he merely pressed his bruised lips together as she spun around and walked quickly away from him.

He glanced around at David Nolan and Robin Hood who had borne witness to their altercation and received commiserating looks from both men.

"I'll go make sure she's all right," said David quietly. He turned away then paused and looked back over his shoulder with grateful smile before adding, "Thanks, Hook."

The pirate gave him a brief nod of acknowledgement then looked down. He didn't want or need thanks for saving the Prince's daughter. His actions were inherent of his feelings for her; it was as natural as breathing to protect her whether she wanted him to or, what was more usually the case, not.

"Let's get back before more of those abominations appear, shall we?" Robin suggested lightly, breaking the silence that had descended upon the remaining two men. He walked past the pirate and gave him a companionable slap on the back only to stop and turn in concern as Hook emitted a hiss of pain.

"What's wrong?" the thief queried with a frown. "Are you hurt?"

The pirate drew in an unsteady breath and nodded before carefully pulling his coat back with his hand. He turned his body slightly and the thief saw a bloody wound just above the lumbar region on his right side.

"Dear God, did that thing _bite_ you?" Robin asked worriedly.

His grip tightened around his bow as he awaited the answer. He knew only too well that it wouldn't be long before the pirate changed form if that were the case. He'd lost a close friend to the Witch's monstrosities and he'd hate to be the one who had to inform the Saviour that the pirate had suffered the same fate. He highly doubted that she'd take the news well.

"No. Damn simian grabbed my hook when we struggled and got in a lucky blow," the captain admitted with a grimace. "Stings like the bloody Devil."

Relief flooded through the thief and he lowered his bow before quickly walking back to his companion. He bent and inspected the puncture wound then, after a couple of decidedly firm prods, for which Hook could have happily thumped him, he straightened up and smiled slightly.

"It appears to have stopped bleeding so lucky for you it's not deep. Once it's cleaned up it will be fine," he declared casually before adding in a slightly regrettable tone, "Your waistcoat on the other hand is a different matter entirely. The leather's done for, my friend."

Hook's eyes widened and he immediately looked down. Ignoring the painful protest of his body, he twisted around and tried to see the damage for himself. Unfortunately, due to the location of the wound, all he could glimpse was a piece of black material sticking out. He'd have to take his clothing off when he got back to town and ascertain the damage for himself. He let out a small huff of annoyance and looked over at Robin with a scowl.

"Thanks, _mate_," he replied sourly as he let his coat drop back into place and stalked off, brushing past the archer as he headed back to where Emma had parked her car.

Robin shook his head and followed after the pirate with a wry smile.

Considering the way the day was going, Hook wouldn't have been at all surprised if he had found both the Saviour and her contraption gone. Thankfully, he was proved wrong when he came upon the road a couple of minutes later. However, even from a distance in the waning light of the evening he could tell from her agitated pacing that Emma was still as furious as hell.

"Look," he began, hand and hook held up in supplication as he approached, but the blonde quickly cut him off.

"Just get in," she ordered tersely, pointing at her car as he drew near.

Hook raised an eyebrow at her tone, the insistent throb of his injured side doing nothing to help his own irritable mood. She'd been snapping at him since Baelfire's death and while he understood her pain, he simply wasn't prepared to continue to be her emotional punch bag…not for the rest of _this_ day at least.

"I'll go back with David if it's all the same to you, Swan," he announced coolly.

A flash of surprise closely followed by one of hurt crossed her face for a moment and Hook suddenly found himself stepping forward to try to apologise before he'd even realised what he was doing.

"Emma…"

"Don't," she warned icily, her expression growing as cold as her tone.

Hook immediately stopped and wondered if he'd imagined her upset simply to convince himself that he mattered to her in some way. He watched her turn away then get into her car and start the engine. Realising she was leaving alone, he glanced over at Robin and nodded towards the vehicle with a pleading gaze. Quickly understanding the gesture, the outlaw pulled open the passenger door just as she began to pull off.

"Might I join you?" he enquired courteously.

She must have said yes because moments later Robin looked over gave the pirate an almost imperceptible nod then got in.

Hook stared after the vehicle as it sped away then, when he could see it no longer, he slowly walked over to David's truck and got in without a word. He could sense the Prince staring at him but he refused to acknowledge it. He just wanted to get back to his room and try and ease the awful pain he felt, both physically and emotionally.

"She just needs some time," David commented quietly, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.

"Aye, we all do, mate," Hook countered flatly.

The Prince studied the other man for a moment then sighed but said no more. He knew the pirate blamed himself in part for Neal's death but ultimately; there was nothing that could've been done to save him. He started the truck and drove Hook back to town, only breaking the silence between them when they reached the outskirts.

"You want me to drop you at Granny's to get something to eat?" he queried.

"No, it's been a long week and as there is no meeting this evening I think I shall retire early," Hook replied.

"Are you sure?" David persisted incredulously. At the pirate's nod he quelled the urge to press further and simply added, "So, are you still staying at the bed and breakfast?"

"Yes. I prefer to be to hand while there's a wicked witch running around," Hook answered flippantly, the white lie dropping easily from his lips.

He wasn't ready to reveal that he didn't have the Jolly Roger anymore. Not that anyone had bothered to ask. Why would they? He was nothing more than a pirate to them. Only interested in one adventure after another apparently. Emma's words that day in the woods still smarted whenever he thought of them but it had been too good of an opportunity to miss so he'd grabbed onto her misapprehension with both hands…metaphorically speaking, of course.

He was jarred out of his musings when David came to a halt outside of the bed and breakfast and alighted out of the vehicle before the Prince could kill the engine.

"Thanks," he acknowledged with a forced smile before shutting the door behind him.

Not waiting to hear if the Prince responded, Hook turned then walked quickly up the steps and entered the inn. He made his way to the solace of his room and locked the door behind him then divested himself of his long leather coat and sword. After carefully setting them down on a nearby chair, he let out a pained sigh and headed into the small en suite.

Standing in front of the mirror, he leaned in closer and ran a finger over his lip. There was a small, still bloody cut near one corner but it certainly wasn't as swollen as it felt for which he was grateful. He straightened up and took a step back then turned to the side to get a better view of his other injury.

It was as bad as he feared. His tunic was indeed, 'done for', as Robin had told him. Muttering a rather colourful curse, he turned away and slowly unbuckled his belt then unfastened his leather garment. Moving to the doorway, he took it off then placed it on top of his coat before stepping back into the small bathroom where he then attempted to off pull his shirt. The material tugged painfully on his laceration where the blood had dried making it feel as though the black cloth was glued to his tender skin. Not caring whether he would start the bleeding again or not, he was about to just yank the shirt away from the wound when there came a loud knocking on his door.

He stilled then looked up and frowned. He wasn't expecting company and if there was trouble someone usually called him on the device they called a telephone in the corner of his room. A wonderful invention that was but one of many things he'd encountered during his stays that proved calling this world 'the land without magic' was quite the misnomer.

The rapping came again and he took a few steps towards the door, only pausing to pick up his sword where it lay on the chair. He always found it best to be prepared, even though he highly doubted that the Wicked Witch would announce herself to him by doing something as mundane as knocking.

"Who is it?" he called out, readying his blade.

"It's me, Emma, let me in," came back the Saviour's muffled, but quite obviously irritated, voice.

Hook froze in shock. Never in a million years had it entered his head that it would be the woman he loved standing outside his door. The thought that it could be a trick passed fleetingly through his mind but when she spoke again he trusted his instincts and put his sword back down.

"Are you going to open this damn door, Hook, or am I going to have to break it down?" he heard her demand as the handle rattled furiously.

Fearing something terrible must have happened for her to come to him, Hook hurried over and turned the key in the lock. He pulled open the door and felt his stomach drop when he saw her unhappy countenance.

"What's wrong?" he immediately asked in concern. "Is it the Witch? What has she done?"

Emma shot him a glare then shook her head and stalked past him into the room. He closed the door and turned to find her staring back at him expectantly with arms folded.

"Well?" she queried sharply, her gaze quickly darting down his body and back up to his face again. "Let's see it."

Hook stared at her blankly for a few seconds at a loss to understand what she was talking about until it suddenly dawned on him that she was most likely referring to his injury. A spark of annoyance flared when he realised that Robin had probably been the one to tell her. That blabbermouth. He'd have to speak with the archer tomorrow. Right now he had to deal with the Saviour who looked as though she could cheerfully throttle him.

"Bit forward aren't you, Swan?" Hook replied with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Coming into my bed chamber alone and demanding to see…_it_."

Her eyes narrowed at the obvious innuendo of his words but his goading was as automatic as his hand that was already reaching for his shirt to do as she'd requested. He flinched slightly as he gave the cloth a swift tug then lifted the material up and turned his body to the side with a resigned sigh.

Emma glanced down at the skin he'd exposed and audibly drew in a breath before looking back up at him with censure in her gaze.

"I don't want you to ever pull a stunt like that again, you understand?" she bit out coldly.

"You mean save your life?" Hook retorted impassively as he let go of his shirt. He shook his head and added, "You can ask anything else of me, Swan, but not that."

"Why not?" she demanded, letting her arms drop to her sides as she took a step towards him. "Don't you think I've already lost _enough_ people I cared about in my life?"

"Don't you think _I_ have as well?" he countered, his own ire rising. He also took a step towards her and then another right up into her personal space before adding roughly, "I'll not lose you too, Emma, and I think you _know_ well enough _why_."

Silence followed his outburst as Emma stared at him in shock, searching his face for the truth of his words.

It was as close to a confession of his feelings aloud as he'd ever dared come and it had surprised him almost as much as hearing her suggest that she cared about his welfare. It was one thing to suspect the truth but to hear it actually stated was quite another. Not wishing to compound his error of revealing so much of himself to her, he stood quietly and waited to see how she'd react. If she were true to form whenever her feelings were involved, she'd be heading out of the door any moment now.

The silence stretched on between them then she suddenly blinked and looked down. Hook steeled himself for her departure but for the first time since he'd known her, she didn't walk away. Instead, she looked up at him again, a faint blush colouring her cheeks as she nodded over to the bed.

"Sit down, I'll clean you up," she offered quietly.

"No, you don't have to…" he automatically began to protest even though his heart begged him to remain silent.

"Yes. I do," she cut in firmly as she turned away and started pulling gauze and antiseptic wipes from her pockets. "You won't be able reach the wound properly."

He watched her place the medical items on a small table nearby and felt a pang of disappointment. She may not have run but considering her words, it was clear that it was only because she felt she had no option other than to help him.

The small flicker of hope that had ignited within him when she'd stood her ground faded quickly. Sometimes the protective walls around her heart appeared insurmountable, even to someone such as he who was dedicated to scaling those great heights no matter what. Letting out a sigh of resignation, he sat down on the edge of the bed nearest to her and waited patiently for her to begin.

Emma turned then dropped down onto one knee by the side of him. She gestured for him to lift up his shirt again and he obliged immediately only to grit his teeth against the pain as she began dabbing an antiseptic wipe over his wound with a less than gentle touch.

"You're lucky this wasn't a lot deeper," she muttered accusingly as she cleaned away the dried blood.

"Aye," he gasped, his body jerking as the cleansing fluid burned like fire into the raw flesh of his open wound.

Emma glanced up at him but although she didn't say anything, the pirate noted that her touch became distinctly gentler. She finished cleaning his injury then applied a couple of butterfly stitches before covering it with some gauze.

"Thank you," he said gratefully as she stood up and dumped the soiled wipes onto the table.

"I'm not finished," she told him, reaching for some more wipes.

He looked up at her quizzically, his eyes widening slightly as he felt her hand cup him gently under the chin and tilt his head back. Caught unawares by her actions, he didn't even register the sting of the antiseptic when Emma leaned in and began to carefully tend to his injured lip.

The familiar flowery scent of her soap wafted over him, swirling around his head and assailing his senses causing his breath to catch. He hadn't prepared himself for this and she was so close. _So close_. His gaze dropped to her lips, so tantalising, so perfect. His fingers on his hand curled in on themselves, fisting into the bed cover as he fought the near irresistible urge to reach up and clasp the back of her head then pull her to him for a searing kiss just like the one they'd shared in Neverland.

Just a 'one time thing' she'd called it and so far she'd been right but he still hoped that one day…

"There, all done," Emma said softly, but she didn't move away.

He dragged his gaze from her mouth and looked up to see her staring back at him intently. Everything around them seemed to blur as their eyes locked and Hooks' breath came out in a rush when she moved towards him slightly. He felt his heart begin to pound in his chest in anticipation of her kiss, but then suddenly, she stilled. Confusion clouded her eyes quickly followed by fear and he could only watch helplessly as, moments later, she backed away almost knocking into the small table in her haste to be gone from him.

Hook briefly closed his eyes then took a deep breath and slowly stood up. She was already opening the door by the time he'd turned around but instead of leaving without a word as he'd expected, Emma paused for a moment then looked back over. After staring at him for seemed like an eternity she finally opened her mouth to speak.

"You...want to go and get something to eat?" she asked a little uncertainly.

Although taken aback by her sudden offer, Hook wasn't about to let an invitation like that go.

"I'd like that very much," he replied with a smile.

Emma half smiled back as she watched him grab his coat and put it on then headed out into the corridor with the pirate close behind.

"So is this what you call a 'date'?" Hook queried brightly as he followed her out into the cool evening air.

"No," she answered sharply, looking at him with wide eyes before clarifying, "We're friends, this is just a friendly dinner, that's all."

Hook merely grinned at her response feeling happier than he had in a long while. For the second time that evening she hadn't run away from him and on this occasion it had most definitely been _her_ choice. It was a huge step forward whether she was ready to acknowledge it yet or not.

"Just thought I'd check, Swan," he told her lightly as he fell into step beside her. "A man can hope, can't he?"

She looked over at him then after a few moments a soft smile lightened her features and she nodded causing his heart to flip.

"Yes," she told him meaningfully, "you can."

**END**

**Alphabet Challenge - **H is for HOPE


	2. G is for Glances

_**GLANCE (verb) Take a brief or hurried look**_

They each think it's not obvious, but it is.

_I_ notice it.

Every single day.

All those little sidelong glances and yearning looks they send when the other isn't aware. The one's that convey their true feelings before their usual mask of indifference or denial, depending on who it is, falls back into place when the other turns their way.

Guarding their emotions; guarding their hearts.

At first I thought it was all one sided. An over protective pirate with a pathetic case of unrequited _love_, but the more I watched, the more I saw that the self proclaimed Saviour's gaze seeks him out just as much.

More so even.

Knowing his reputation I had thought she was keeping an eye on him in case he caused trouble but I soon realised it wasn't that at all. She actually _cares_ for him, however much she tries to hide it.

If only he knew how much she looked at him, he wouldn't doubt her feelings…or his own anymore. It would make them stronger, too strong, which is something I cannot allow. I haven't come this far to have my plans thwarted by _true love_.

Luckily for me she is too blinded by her past, ruled by making bad decisions and too frightened to risk her heart again. And I'm going to use that to my advantage. I'm going to take him away from her and relish her pain before I crush her for good. She won't be able to save anyone ever again.

And then my dear sister, _then_ you'll be _mine_.


	3. W is for Waistcoat

**A/N** - Just wanted to say thank you for the reviews I've had and also how grateful I am to those that have favourited and are following this story. I hope you enjoy this next chapter :)

_**WAISTCOAT: (noun) A close-fitting waist-length garment, typically having no sleeves or collar and buttoning down the front, worn especially by men over a shirt and under a jacket.**_

Emma sat on the couch at Granny's place trying to concentrate on what was being said. Usually when she attended an important meeting such as this, her mind was solely focussed on the problem at hand. She never had any trouble blocking out unwanted thoughts or random musings because she knew that it could cost someone their life if she missed even the slightest detail of a plan.

Except tonight was different.

Tonight her gaze kept surreptitiously sliding over to the pirate standing by the window, or more specifically, his new waistcoat.

She'd never seen him in anything but all black before and the splash of red that now adorned his torso seemed to draw her attention like a moth to a flame. She glanced at his face and saw by his furrowed brow that he was listening intently to what David was saying and it reminded her that she should be doing the same.

With a determined effort she dragged her gaze away from him and tried to tune into her father's voice but instead her mind wandered back to a couple of evenings before when she asked Hook to join her for dinner. It had been an impulsive reaction to all that had happened, not only that day but a week before that too.

Losing Neal had hurt terribly, more so because she knew she'd had a hand in his demise but she didn't feel guilty about her choice, it was the right thing to do. She'd made peace with her decision.

Unfortunately, while she was still working through her pain, she'd lashed out at those around her and Hook had been the main recipient. She'd known what she was doing but hadn't been able to stop herself, especially when he seemingly kept putting himself in harms way. The day the flying monkeys attacked had been the final straw. The pure heartache and terror she'd felt when Hook had willingly risked his own life to have her had been overwhelming. In that one horrifying moment it had hit her just how much she would lose if he weren't around anymore.

And it had frightened the hell out of her.

The depth and strength of her feelings had come as a shock. She knew she'd been slowly letting down her walls around him, but even _she_ hadn't realised quite how much until that moment.

Still, just because she acknowledged to herself that she more than liked the pirate, that didn't mean she was going to jump in to any kind of a relationship with him straight away. She was still far too cautious to do that, been hurt too many times but she also knew she couldn't ignore how she felt any longer either.

And that's where her quandary lay; because while her head was telling her to take baby steps, her heart was demanding she just take _him_…period.

It was a constant battle within her but one her head fought against valiantly even though she was finding herself siding with her heart more and more. Especially when he was dressed like _that_ she decided as her eyes started drifting over in Hook's direction again.

What the hell was it about that waistcoat that had her insides do a little dance every time she looked at it?

Why couldn't she quell this crazy urge to run her hands all over the soft looking fabric and push that ridiculously long coat of his off his shoulders and onto the floor?

Hook shifted slightly, startling her out of her reverie and her gaze flew up to his face to see him staring back at her with a slightly bemused expression. She felt a surge of heat flood her cheeks but before she could look away, she saw a spark of realisation light the pirate's eyes and a knowing grin spread across his face.

Emma's mouth tightened in aggravation at being caught and she shot him a glare before returning her attention fully, she was relieved to find, back to her father.

The meeting concluded twenty minutes later with nothing being resolved, as was the norm lately. No one seemed to have any new ideas for defeating Zelena and Emma was beginning to feel the burden of her Saviour role weighing heavily upon her shoulders. It was down to her to think of something but try as she might, she kept coming up empty.

"Fancy a quick one, love?" Hook suddenly suggested in a low voice right by her ear.

Emma rolled her eyes and found she had to suppress a smile at his obvious innuendo. She should have expected that he would seek her out. He seemed to have a knack of materialising out of thin air right into her personal space whenever she was feeling particularly low.

"I assume you're offering me a drink?" she clarified coolly as she turned her head and arched a brow to look at him.

"What else would I mean?" he countered, his expression the picture of innocence.

Emma held his gaze a moment then let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure, why not?"

Hook smiled then stood back to let her pass. He watched her put on her red jacket then walk away to let David know what she was doing. The pirate received a look from the Prince that told him to keep his daughter safe. Hook gave him a brief nod then followed Emma outside.

They walked along the street in relative silence, keeping a wary eye out for Zelena or any of her winged spies. Thankfully they reached The Rabbit Hole without mishap and were soon ensconced at a table to the rear of the place that offered them some privacy to talk without being overheard.

Hook poured Emma out a large glass of his favourite rum then saw to his own before placing the bottle down with a thump in the middle of the table. Settling back in his chair, he raised his glass in salute then closed his eyes and took a large swallow, savouring the warmth of the spicy alcohol as it slid down his throat.

With her own glass halfway to her mouth, Emma paused and watched his enjoyment in fascination. From the long line of his neck as it arched back, to the movement of his throat and the way his tongue darted out to run slowly over his lips so that he could relish every single last drop followed by a low hum of satisfaction that announced he was done.

Just as he opened his eyes, Emma broke free of her daze and quickly downed her own glass of rum. She welcomed the burn, although even that wasn't quite enough to blot out the fact that she'd just found his simple act of having a drink more of a turn on than she would ever admit to.

"Nothing like a spot of rum to get the juices flowing, eh, Swan?"

Her gaze flew to his but as far as she could tell there didn't seem to be anything more behind his words than face value and she found herself nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it's got quite a kick," she muttered.

"Another?" he asked, picking up the bottle again.

"Uh, no, thanks," she declined with a shake of her head.

Hook quirked an eyebrow but didn't push, choosing to pour himself another healthy glass instead.

Emma purposefully looked away this time as he raised his glass. She already ogled him quite enough for one evening. Unfortunately for her, instead of staring down at the table or something equally as mundane, her traitorous heart overruled her brain and her gaze latched onto his red waistcoat once more.

Up close the material looked like velvet and the urge to touch it came back anew as she suddenly wondered where he'd obtained the garment.

"Is that new?" she blurted out curiously, pointing at his waistcoat.

Hook was surprised at her question and put his glass back on the table. He knew that Emma had noticed his change of attire but he hadn't expected her to mention it and quite frankly, he wished she hadn't. Letting out a sigh he looked down at his clothing with a pained expression. He hadn't wanted to wear the red one, there were too many bad memories tied up with it; a past he dearly wanted to put behind him, but he'd felt naked without his black leather and as that was currently at the tailor's being mended after his tussle with one of Zelena's minions, he'd reluctantly put it on.

"No," he replied quietly as he looked back up at her and forced a smile. "Quite the opposite."

Emma looked at his face clearly seeing the pain in his eyes and felt a pang of sadness for what the pirate must have been through during his long life. He'd never told her all the details, just odd comments here and there. They were very much alike when it came to opening themselves up. Always ready to hear but not to tell. Both deflected questions when things became too painful. It was like staring in a mirror at times.

"Well, I like it. It suits you," she told him with a sincere smile.

Usually Hook would have retorted with a smug comeback about how he already knew that as she'd not been able to keep her eyes off of him during the meeting, but this time it just felt wrong. He understood she was offering him some comfort, although she knew not what for and as much as he felt he didn't deserve it, just this once he dearly wanted to accept it. He _needed_ to.

"Perhaps I will wear it more often then," he finally conceded with a small, but this time genuine smile of his own.

They stared at each other for a moment then Emma looked down and pushed her glass towards him.

"One more then I'd better get back."

Hook took her lead and poured out a generous helping of the amber liquid for them both then raised his glass and clinked it against hers.

"Bottoms up, Swan," he toasted with a wink.

"Down the hatch," she countered wryly.

His deep laugh brought forth a grin of her own and Emma decided that maybe taking baby steps wasn't going to be such a bad thing after all.

End Chapter 3

**Reviews are always of the good ;)**


	4. D is for Doubt

**A/N: **Huge thanks to all of you who are following this story and/or adding it to your favourites. Would really appreciate more reviews if anyone has the time :)

_**DOUBT: (noun) A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction**_

Sunlight filtered through the trees, the striking beams cutting through the foliage and down onto the soft earth beneath Hook's feet as he walked stealthily through the forest. His eyes constantly darted from side to side scanning for any signs of danger, sword in hand, always prepared.

The sound of a twig snapping suddenly brought him to a halt and he dared hardly breathe as he listened intently for any further noise. A gentle breeze ran through the trees causing their leaves to rustle softly as the branches swayed a little and then…nothing.

He waited a few moments more then began walking again. Slower this time, more cautious. He didn't wish to be detected or followed.

Unfortunately, he managed neither.

Out the corner of his eye he caught a movement off to his right just a shade too late and by the time he'd turned and raised his sword there was already a crossbow aimed squarely at his chest. He regarded his captor with obvious irritation then held up his arms in a gesture of surrender.

"Oh, it's you, Captain," Robin declared with some relief as he lowered his weapon. "I thought that maybe you were the Witch."

"Aye, as I did _you_," Hook replied, still aggrieved that he'd been caught by surprise.

Robin eyed him curiously then a small smile tugged at his mouth.

"So, are you just out for a stroll on this fine day? Or are you here for the same reason that I am?" the thief enquired knowingly.

"I wager you know the answer to that already, mate," the pirate answered as he sheathed his sword and glanced around the forest before turning back to Robin and asking, "I take it you know where the vault is?"

"I do," he replied with a nod.

"Shall we then?" Hook requested a little impatiently as he lifted his arm and gestured to his right.

"Certainly," the thief replied brightly before heading off in the opposite direction.

The pirate dropped his arm to his side then looked heavenwards for a moment and gritted his teeth. The man was positively irksome at times. With a shake of his head, he dutifully began following Robin's lead and it wasn't long before they reached the small clearing that housed Regina's vault.

The two men slowed their pace then ducked down behind a particularly large ferny plant and each scoured the area for any signs of the Witch or one of her winged army. Satisfied that they were alone, they both relaxed a little and shifted to more comfortable positions, as they knew they were going to be there a while.

"So, does the Saviour know that you're here watching over her?" Robin ventured in a low voice after they'd been sitting in silence for a few minutes.

"Does the Queen know _you're_ here?" Hook countered pointedly.

Robin laughed softly and shook his head.

"I doubt that Her Majesty would be best pleased if she thought herself in need of protection, nor do I think would the Lady Swan."

Hook let out a grunt of agreement. He couldn't argue with that. He _knew_ Emma wouldn't be happy if she discovered he was out here keeping a watchful eye like she were some damsel in distress.

Both Emma and Regina were strong, independent women who could very easily take care of themselves and had done so for many years. He respected that, but it didn't mean he couldn't provide some back up…just in case.

"Aye, well, what they don't know won't hurt us," the pirate quipped dryly.

"Except that we _do_," came Regina's cool voice unexpectedly.

Both men stilled then shot each other a slightly concerned look before turning around to see Regina and Emma standing behind them with their arms folded. Feeling very much like a child that had been caught with his hand in the biscuit barrel, Hook immediately stood up and grinned widely at them to cover his discomfiture.

"Ladies," he greeted warmly, "what is a pleasant coincidence."

"Uh oh," Robin muttered apprehensively under his breath as, he too, stood up and faced both women.

Regina stared back at them clearly annoyed whereas Emma, surprisingly, bit back a smile and ducked her head much to Hook's dismay. He'd get no help from her it would seem.

"What are you doing here?" the Queen demanded with a frown, directing her question to Robin.

"Uh…we, we were…" he stammered slightly as he tried to think up a good enough excuse.

"We were…hunting," Hook quickly supplied with another ready smile. "Robin was just showing me the fine art of the bow and arrow whilst searching for this evening's repast."

"He's using a crossbow," Regina pointed out wryly.

The pirate's eyebrows quirked up and he glanced over at the weapon before dismissing airily, "Aye, that too."

Regina's eyes narrowed at his blatant fabrication but then they widened again seconds later as an idea obviously struck. The truly conniving smile that lit up her face was one he was familiar with and it sent a trickle of dread down his spine. Swallowing hard, he took an involuntarily step back and observed her warily.

"Well, since you're here, I might as well make use of you," she commented thoughtfully.

Before anyone could react, Regina raised her hands and a swirl of purple smoke enveloped all four of them. When it cleared, Emma, Hook and Robin looked around in surprise. They were in a large room of what appeared to be a castle. Light spilled in from two large stained glass windows, dappling the stone floor in a rainbow of colours and at each end of the room there was a door.

"Where are we?" the Saviour asked in confusion.

"It doesn't matter," Regina answered as she turned to look at her protégé. "All I want you to focus on is your magic. We've established that your power comes from your emotions but your constant doubts in your own ability are holding you back. So far I've not been able to find the trigger that opens you up to the rest of your potential."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked with a frown. She'd thought she'd been doing well but apparently not.

"I _think_ she means that you have to embrace your magic, love," Hook interjected when it appeared that Regina was fast losing patience. He gave the Queen a stern look as he walked passed and came to a halt in front of Emma. Smiling softly he added, "You need to accept that it's a part of you, that it's what makes you the Saviour. They're not separate things; they are what make you whole and all it takes is a little bit of faith. Just believe in yourself, Emma, I know I do."

The blonde stared at him, her mouth slightly open as she listened to him speak. He made it all sound so simple and perhaps it was if she could find the same amount of confidence in herself that he so frequently seemed to have in her.

"Yes, well, that's all very _nice_ but I was more thinking along the lines of when there's something…or _someone_ you care about at stake, it'll just happen naturally," Regina suddenly cut in, effectively ending the moment.

Hook rolled his eyes at the interruption and turned his head to say something but before he could, Regina casually raised her hand in his direction and then he was gone.

Emma barely registered Robin's gasp as she suddenly stared at empty space where the pirate had just been standing. She blinked then looked around the room trying to fight down the feeling of trepidation that swirled unpleasantly in her gut. When it was obvious that Hook had disappeared, she turned and gave the brunette a heated glare.

"What have you done to him?" she asked, the low tone of her voice carrying an obvious threat.

Regina merely smiled back at her and shrugged.

"That's for you to find out," she retorted unsympathetically. "Channel your emotions and let your magic guide you to him…but be quick, he doesn't have much time."

Emma's eyes widened at the caution and she felt a fresh wave of anger tinged with panic crash through her body.

"If you've hurt him…" she warned.

"Oh, he's not hurt…_yet_," the Queen interrupted flippantly, "but if you continue to waste your time talking I can't guarantee that it'll stay that way. Now _focus_, Emma."

"Milady," Robin began to protest as he took a step forward but the Queen held up her hand and he froze where he stood unable to speak.

The Saviour gave the Queen one last furious look then resolutely took a deep breath and shut her eyes, trying her best to relax. She took another breath and then another until she felt the first stirrings of her magic. She immediately started thinking of Hook and was surprised at how quickly her power seemed to increase. She tingled everywhere as it spread rapidly through her body and curled around her nerve endings making her fingers twitch. She stood for a moment just relishing the feel of her heightened ability before reaching out with it to find the pirate. It didn't take long to get a sense of him, his being felt…familiar to her; there was hurt and guilt obviously but there was also an overpowering feeling of warmth, safety…love.

What worried her the most though was that it was all interspersed with fear.

"That's good," Regina praised as she watched the blonde closely. "Now take control and use it."

"I already have," she answered shortly as she opened her eyes and began hurriedly walking towards the door on the right. "I'm going to get him."

Not waiting for any kind of response, Emma left the room and headed out into the dim corridor. Tuned into her power, she knew exactly which way to go to lead her to Hook. Her pace quickened as she felt his trepidation grow. Running now, she turned a corner and went down some stone steps then through another door that opened up into a medium sized room with an impossibly high ceiling.

Breathing hard, she took in the scene before her and felt her stomach drop to her toes.

There were two tables placed parallel to one another in the middle of the room. Upon each one a man was lying down spread-eagled on his back with his arms and legs shackled tightly, allowing minimal movement. Both were staring fixedly upwards and when she followed their gaze she drew in a sharp breath at the sight of two enormous scythe-like blades that were swinging to and fro, from head to toe, directly above each of them. Every time they swung, there was a loud metallic clunk and the sharp, curved blades dropped a notch lower, relentlessly coming ever closer to ultimately slicing the man right below it completely in half.

And each of those men looked exactly like Hook.

"No!" she exclaimed, causing both men to quickly turn their heads and fix their worried gaze on her.

"Swan!" they replied in unison then looked at each in irritation.

"What the hell?" she gasped as her gaze constantly darted between the two of them. "Hook?"

"Yes," they answered together again. There was another flawlessly timed shared glance of annoyance then they added, "Regina told me to tell you that this is your next test. You have to choose which one of us is the real me, love. She also said that you are only allowed one attempt and if you get it wrong…I and my doppelganger here shall perish."

The blades clunked and lowered again drawing the men's gazes back to them as the deadly metal swished passed causing their hair to ruffle in the resulting breeze.

"You don't have much time, Swan," they told her. "Another three passes at best I'd wager."

Emma felt a surge of terror bubble up inside of her as he…they stated the conditions of the Queen's latest trial. How was she supposed to tell who was the real Hook? Every little movement they made, everything they said was perfectly in sync. She looked wildly around to see if there were a way to manually halt the pendulums but there was absolutely nothing. Her breathing started to quicken as the pressure of the dire situation took hold. She wasn't strong enough for this; hadn't practiced enough; she was going to fail him.

"Remember what I said, Emma, you just have to believe in yourself. I _know_ you can do this."

The absolute surety of his words managed to breach her internal panic and she desperately clung onto it as she dragged herself back to a calmer place. His unshakable belief in her, even when faced with the possibility of death, gave her the courage she needed to search deep within even as she saw the blades drop down once more.

Drawing in a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated. She soon found what she was looking for and for the first time in her life welcomed her magic with open arms. 'I know you can do this, I know you can do this,' became her mantra as the feeling grew and grew, it's warmth and light spreading throughout her body until she felt as though she fairly glowed with it.

The clunk of the pendulum announced yet another drop and she opened her eyes just as the blades swung lower barely skimming over Hook's bodies causing them to flinch slightly as the curved blade whizzed past dangerously close to their faces.

She was out of time. They all were.

But she didn't care. Now that she'd finally let her magic in, she found it surprisingly easy to know which man was real. Maybe it was because he had been the one to help her unlock it or maybe it was because her power enabled her to see through Regina's handiwork. Whatever the reason, her body practically hummed as soon as she looked at him. With a flick of her hand, the bindings holding the man lying to the left of her disappeared and he was free.

Hook shot her a quick smile then deftly rolled off the table and fell onto the floor just as the pendulum swung back, missing him by inches. His doppelganger was not so lucky and she quickly turned away as the sound of flesh tearing asunder briefly assailed her ears before everything went silent.

"It's alright he's gone," Hook told her and she looked back in time to see him grimace slightly as he added, "Although _that_ will be a sight I shan't forget in a while. No one should die in such a gruesome way. Not even _me_."

Emma shook her head at his levity and let out a shaky sigh.

"Are you OK?" she asked running her gaze over his form in search of any sign of injury.

"I'm fine," he declared her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You?"

"Yeah. I did it," she realised suddenly and gave a little laugh before repeating, "I really _did_ it."

The pirate walked over to her with a grin, enjoying her obvious pleasure in her own success.

"Aye, Love, you did. I never doubted you for a minute."

It would have been a throwaway comment coming from anyone else but looking into his warm blue eyes as he drew closer, Emma knew without a doubt that he meant every single word.

"I know," she assured him with a soft smile. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it gently, hoping to convey just how much she valued his unwavering belief in her.

His grin faded at her gesture and he looked down at her hand, swallowing hard. The sincerity of her words rung true in his ears and he needed a moment to gather his wits as his heart drummed out an uneven beat. It meant so much to him that she was starting to accept not only herself but…maybe even _him_ a little as well.

"Good," he finally stated quietly when he was able to raise his eyes to her face once more.

They stared at one another, each reluctant to look away yet also uncertain as to whether they dared be the one to make the next move.

The choice was taken away from them suddenly when a large swirl of purple smoke appeared, billowing all around them. Seconds later they squinted against the sunlight as they found themselves standing in the forest just outside the vault with Regina and a concerned looking Robin.

"I suppose I should say well done," the Queen commented archly. "It seems you finally discovered what you needed to unlock your potential."

"You could've found a better way to do it," the blonde admonished irritably as she glanced over at the pirate. "Although why am I not surprised that it turns out you like Poe?"

"I have to admit, his words do hold a certain diabolical poetry to them that I find quite fascinating," Regina revealed. Her voice took on a wistful note as she further mused, "The things I could have done with a man like _that_ in the Enchanted Forest back in the day."

"Oh, please," Emma groused derisively.

The Queen gave her a withering look then glanced at the two men.

"We're going to be here a while longer. If you plan on sticking around to play guard, I suggest you make yourselves comfortable," she told them before waving her hand in the general direction of where they'd previously been hiding.

Hook and Robin turned to see a pile of dark brown blankets next to some sandwiches and drink that were set alongside a small fire that was happily crackling away. They looked back to offer their thanks but were both acutely disappointed to find that the ladies were no longer there.

After casting one last lingering glance at the door of the vault, Hook went over to the almost ready-made camp and picked up a couple of the blankets. He placed them on the ground then sat down on them with a heavy sigh. Now that the adrenaline of his near death experience had left his body he was feeling decidedly tired.

Robin joined him and reached over for a couple of bottles of water. He offered one to the pirate who declined with a shake of his head and brought out his flask instead. Popping the cork, he took a long draught then held it out for Robin. The thief took his own lengthy swig and handed it back.

Hook dropped it on the ground then leaned back against a tree, his thoughts never straying far from the blonde beauty that had irrevocably stolen his heart as surely as if she reached in a pulled it out herself. His fingers absently rubbed over the spot on his left arm where she'd touched him and he wondered if there would ever come a time where she'd love him and much as he did her. A time where he'd finally be able to tell her exactly how he felt with no fear of reproach…or rejection. Maybe it was best if she never found out. The depth of his love would probably scare her away.

"You look done in, Captain. What happened in there?" Robin queried, breaking into the other man's reverie.

"Emma found herself," Hook replied with a little smile of pride.

Robin nodded but still looked perplexed.

The pirate closed his eyes then tilted his head back against the rough bark; his smile becoming a full on grin as Robin spoke again.

"So…who's this Poe fellow?"

Hook couldn't hold back his laughter at the blatant jealousy that coloured the other man's voice and opened his eyes. He toyed with the idea of pretending not to know but considering he understood the pain of unrequited love quite well himself, he decided it was the least he could do to ease that particular burden from the thief's mind.

"He's a writer of books. Dark, scary tales that chill the blood and he's quite _dead_ so you do not have to worry that he also is vying for the Queen's affections."

Robin smiled self-consciously then ventured, "Am I that obvious then?"

The pirate shrugged and shook his head a little.

"Only to me, but then I'm very well acquainted with the signs."

"Do you think we stand a chance?" the thief asked after a moments silence.

Hook looked back at the man's hopeful gaze then thought back to Emma's words and touch and nodded.

"Aye, mate, I think we do."

END CHAPTER 4

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	5. R is for Research

**A/N: **Many thanks to everyone that reviewed the previous chapter :) To those that were signed in, I shall reply directly - to all the 'Guests' I really appreciate you taking the time to leave me a comment, thank you!

_**RESEARCH: (noun) The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions**_

"Oh God, why can't I get _this_?" Emma groaned in frustration as she pushed the tome in front of her away in disgust.

Hook looked up from the book he was reading and winced slightly as the blonde sitting opposite him bent forward then let her head drop onto the library table with a resounding thump.

"You will, love," he reassured confidently, "It just takes a little time."

"No, I won't. It's driving me insane," came the muffled but still obviously petulant voice of the Saviour.

The pirate stared at her head for a moment admiring the mass of blonde hair that fell across the table. What he wouldn't give to be allowed to touch it again, to feel the soft silkiness under his fingertips once more. He was almost tempted to reach out when another moan of discontent suddenly arose from the troubled woman. With a little sigh he closed his book then leaned forward.

"Would you like me to help you?" he offered.

Emma lifted her head and regarded him uncertainly.

"_You_ read Elvish?" she queried dubiously.

"Aye," he verified with a nod. When she continued to eye him suspiciously he frowned and added in an affronted tone, "Not _all_ the time I stayed aboard ship was spent solely plotting my revenge, Swan, I did do other things and that included extensive reading."

Emma sat up and arched a brow as she looked at him challengingly.

"And here I thought it was all wine, women and song with you," she stated dryly.

"Well, I can't deny singing the odd shanty or two but unfortunately both the wine and women weren't very easy to come by while I was in Neverland," the pirate replied with a rueful smile.

Emma's eyes widened at the revelation. She'd never really thought about it before but once he'd said it, she realised the truth of his words…although there was _one_ exception to that rule.

"Not even Tink?" she asked as she pulled her tome back and smoothed down a barely creased page in an attempt at nonchalance.

Hook's eyebrows quirked up at her enquiry and his smile bloomed into a grin.

"Do I detect and note of jealousy there, Swan?" he goaded lightly.

"No," she refuted quickly. Too quickly. She shot him an irritated glance then bent her head again in pretence of studying the undecipherable Elvish writing.

The pirate noted the faint flush that coloured her cheekbones and felt his heart contract a little at the sudden knowledge that the thought of him with another woman apparently bothered her. If she were of lesser importance to him, he might well have rejoiced in the knowledge and possibly even left her wondering as to whether he'd ever had a dalliance with the green fairy, but as she was the woman he loved more than life…

"No, Swan, not even Tinkerbell," he assured her softly.

The blonde slowly looked up at him again and met his blue gaze, searching for the truth which he was more than happy for her to see. Relief mixed in with a possessive self-satisfaction she'd never known before settled in her gut and warmed her entire body.

"Good," she muttered under her breath as she broke eye contact and went back to perusing her book.

Hook bit back a smile and watched her for a moment then got up and walked around the table. She tried her best to ignore him but when he sat down beside her and grabbed a piece of paper and pen, curiosity got the better of her and she glanced over at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he began drawing.

"Helping you as I said I would," he answered absently, concentrating on his task at hand.

Emma soon recognised his artwork as some of the images from her book and leaned in closer fascinated by his flawless penmanship.

"Here; Elvish is really very simple when you learn these basic words first," he explained, pushing the neatly written upon sheet towards her. He pointed to a circular shape and added, "Let's start with this one."

The pirate spent the next hour teaching her words and gradually Emma began to understand the language a little more. Enough even, to eventually read a simple sentence from the spellbook.

"That's excellent, Swan," Hook praised with an appreciative grin when she'd finished.

"Finally! I thought I'd never get it," she exclaimed, beaming in pleasure at what she'd achieved.

On a whim she raised her hand with palm faced towards the pirate and looked at him expectantly. Hook eyed first her hand, then her, then her hand again with an expression of bewilderment.

"Hello?" he ventured hesitantly as he too held up his hand then waved.

Emma laughed and shook her head.

"No, if someone holds his or her hand up to you like this, you slap it," she explained.

"For what purpose?" he questioned in bemusement.

"It's to celebrate when you win or do well at something. It's kind of like a…custom we have here." Still grinning, she grabbed his wrist then firmly slapped her hand against his. "See?"

"Aye," he replied his gaze straying to where she still held his wrist.

Emma felt his pulse suddenly begin to race under her fingers and her grin faded as she reflexively began to gently rub her thumb over the erratic beat in a soothing motion. It hadn't escaped her notice that he had been the one to help her again. She was beginning to rely on him more and more but instead of fearing it like she used to, just as with her magic, she was embracing her feelings, embracing _him_ more and more as well.

"Thank you, Killian," she blurted out suddenly.

He looked back at her in surprise and smiled. With one swift flick of his wrist, he manoeuvred his arm out of her grasp and ended up clasping her hand in his instead.

"You're welcome, Emma," he replied before leaning down and placing a gentle, lingering kiss just above her knuckles.

The blonde drew in a sharp breath at his actions, the blatantly romantic gesture causing her heart to do crazy things within her chest as she watched his lips caressing her hand.

"Since you shared one of your customs, I thought it appropriate that I impart one of my own," he clarified in a low tone after he pulled back.

"I think out of the two, I prefer yours," Emma decided as she tried to work some moisture back into her now dry mouth.

Hook's laugh was cut off by the sudden sound of a door opening and Belle's cheerful voice carrying through the library as she called out a greeting to her friends.

Emma's eyes widened in shock and she quickly pulled her hand out of his grasp before looking back down at book of spells she was supposed to be learning. Hook grimaced slightly at her withdrawal then turned away and reached across the table to grab his own leather bound volume. He opened it just as the beauty entered the room and looked up at her with a self-conscious smile.

"Hey guys, I brought some hot chocolate," she announced, placing three paper cups full of the steaming beverage down on the middle of the table. "How's the research going?"

"Not too good," the pirate confessed apologetically. "I have yet to find anything useful that could help defeat Zelena."

Belle glanced down at his book then back up at him with a slight frown. Her gaze flew to Emma, who was apparently engrossed in learning her Elvish, then back to Hook again and she pursed her lips in order to hold back a smile.

"Maybe you'd have better luck if your book wasn't upside down," she pointed out helpfully.

Belle watched in satisfaction as the pirate's eyes widened fractionally and the telltale heat of embarrassment crawled up his face to settle high on his cheekbones.

"Aye," he agreed, raising his hand to scratch just behind his ear in yet another gesture that was indicative of his discomfort. "You're probably right."

He turned his book and doggedly spent the rest of the evening researching. It might not have been the most adventurous time of his life but he was with Emma so he was content.

And that night after he'd walked her back to her room and they parted with a promise to meet the next day, he allowed himself to reflect on the feel of her skin beneath his lips.

Now it seemed as though she were finally opening up to him, he hoped it was something he'd do far more of in the future.

End Chapter 5

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	6. Q is for Quandary

**A/N:** Dipping into canon a little in this chapter as I found I couldn't ignore the infamous 'kiss curse' but I do my own thing with it. Minor spoilers for 'The Jolly Roger' episode. Many thanks for all the reviews I've had so far and hope you all enjoy the next chapter... ;)

**_QUANDARY: (noun) A state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation._**

The sun had already set for an hour as Hook stood on the docks and stared out over the ocean. The relative calmness of the glittering sea was in stark contrast to the internal conflict going on within the man who usually gained so much peace watching the ebb and flow of the gentle waves.

The Wicked Witch had cursed him.

More specifically his lips.

He'd been so weighed down by his own guilt and self-loathing that he hadn't even seen it coming. Hadn't taken the right precautions. Had allowed himself to trust too easily because he'd desperately needed forgiveness for a past wrong he committed against the mermaid Ariel.

Even now when he thought back to that horrifying moment when he'd actually believed that he'd been responsible for her true love's death his gut churned unpleasantly. He wasn't that man anymore, in truth he hadn't been _then_, he just hadn't wanted to admit it to himself.

It had been small comfort to discover that Ariel and Eric had in actuality been reunited and were living happily together unaffected by the new curse because that had been the moment that he'd realised that everything had been a ruse. Zelena had used a spell to transform herself into Ariel and his outpouring of remorse and subsequent oath of love on Emma's name had been his undoing.

She'd cursed him with a smile and vowed to corrupt his love by placing him in an impossible position. Kiss the Saviour and remove her magic or tell her about the curse and Zelena would kill Emma's loved one's, starting with Henry.

With her ultimatum delivered, she'd vanished in swirl of green smoke and he had been trying to decide what to do ever since.

He took a couple of steps forward until he stood on the very edge of the wooden dock and looked down into the inky depths below. Perhaps if he took himself out of the equation the Saviour and her family would gain enough time to defeat Zelena once and for all.

Perhaps if he weren't so selfish and didn't love Emma quite so much, he might have actually contemplated that notion seriously.

He moved back away from the edge then turned and pulled up short when he saw the object of his current quandary standing not more than a few feet away. He tensed and closed his eyes briefly. He wasn't ready to see her yet; it was too soon after Zelena's words, too raw, he still needed time.

"Hey, I've been looking for you," she said, darting a slightly concerned glance at the ocean beyond him. "Everything OK?"

"Aye," he replied with a nod before looking down. Even having her in the same vicinity was making the poisoned magic on his lips tingle.

"So you helped Ariel find Eric then?" she asked as she moved closer to him.

"No, she found him herself," he answered pointedly, still not meeting her gaze. It wasn't really a lie, he was grateful for that at least.

"Oh, well, I'm glad they they're together again," she commented lightly as she came to a stop directly in front of him.

Hook tensed at her nearness and fought the urge to take a step back as he tried to quell his unsettled emotions. Irritated with himself, he looked up at her and enquired brusquely, "Was there something you wanted, Swan? Because if not I have a bottle of rum waiting for me at the tavern."

Emma was a little taken aback by his curtness but put it down to the fact that he hadn't been able to come to the forest because of her parents request for his help. She knew he didn't like the thought of her out there without his back-up even though they didn't really need it.

"I missed you at the vault today," she ventured, hoping to garner a small smile from him. "Regina told me that I was surpassing even _her_ expectations."

Seeing the hint of pride in her eyes at her own abilities and the way she seemed glow from the excitement of her achievements, Hook felt the burden of the curse crushing in on him even further.

"High praise, indeed," he commented sardonically then, in a more sincere tone, added, "But I _am_ glad you're finally accepting what's always been there for the rest of us to see; it suits you."

"I couldn't have done it without you," she confessed candidly.

A brief self-depreciating smile lit his face for a moment then it faded and he shook his head in negation of her words.

"Yes, you could. It was only a matter of time," he responded with conviction. "I merely spoke of what you already knew but didn't want to admit to yourself."

"Yeah, story of my life," she muttered meaningfully as a wry smile touched her lips.

Hook shuffled his feet impatiently and tried desperately not to read too much into her comment.

"If that's all…?" he prompted, hoping that he could make good his escape before he said, or _did_, something he regretted.

"No, wait, we're all going to Granny's for dinner and I wondered if you wanted to come along too?" she asked expectantly.

The desire for spending one last time with her and her family was almost too strong to ignore but from somewhere deep within himself he found the strength to reply, albeit flatly, "I've already eaten, Swan. Perhaps some other time."

It was such a surprise for him to turn her down that Emma's sixth sense went into overdrive. It had been obvious to her that he'd been troubled lately, especially whenever she mentioned the year they'd been apart. As yet though, she'd been unable to glean any real insight from him as to what had actually happened. His evasiveness was frustrating to say the least because without really realising it she'd come to depend upon his openness and honesty. It was one of the few constants in her life.

"OK, well…you're welcome to join us if you change your mind," she finally acquiesced reluctantly.

He gave her a brief nod then moved to walk away but she found she couldn't let him go without saying something first. Reaching out suddenly, she grabbed hold of his hand and halted him mid-stride.

"Killian, if there's something you need to talk about, you can come to me, you know that right?" she asked as she tilted her head to look him in the eyes. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you, I promise."

The pirate stared back at her earnest and worried face and wondered what on earth and the worlds beyond he had he ever done to piss Fate off so much that she so cruelly and consistently thwarted any chance of him ever finding happiness. Emma was just starting to open up to him more and now he had to do everything in his power to keep away from her for fear that he was weak-willed enough to give into temptation. One unguarded moment, that was all it'd take and he'd ruin her life forever.

He couldn't…_wouldn't_ be the one to do that to her.

But still, pathetic lovesick wretch that he was, the feel of her hand in his was too good to relinquish immediately. He allowed himself a few seconds to enjoy the warmth and pretend that it was real if only for those scant few moments before giving her hand a gentle squeeze. When he pulled away from her grasp, he took a couple of heavy steps backwards, each one breaking his heart a little more.

"In my experience, Emma, some things are best left unsaid," he observed with a sad smile.

Turning away abruptly, he walked off without waiting for a reply and knew that no matter how hard he tried, it'd be a long time before he would ever forget the wounded expression that had marred her beautiful face upon his words.

Deep down he knew it was but a small price to pay because, for tonight at least, he took comfort in the knowledge that Emma still had her magic and Henry and her parents were safe.

While he had no idea how long he had before Zelena made good on her threats, there was _one_ thing of which he was absolutely certain.

_He_ would stop her anyway he could…or he'd damn well bloody die trying.

END CHAPTER 6

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	7. B is for Broken

A/N: Big thank you for all the lovely reviews and hugs to all the new followers of this story :) Hope you like this chapter :)

_**BROKEN: (adjective) (Of a person) having given up all hope; despairing**_

The past few days had been a blur.

A horrendous, messy, emotionally painful and mentally torturous blur that had ended in him losing the hard earned trust of the woman he loved when all he'd wanted to do was protect her and her family.

With Zelena's threat hanging over his head, he knew he couldn't tell Emma what had happened to him but he _had_ intended to tell David. Unfortunately, he had been thwarted in his attempt and rather than try again, he had taken it upon himself to keep it a secret thereafter.

Naturally, everything had come to a head earlier that day when the Witch ran out of patience with his dallying. His attempt at hiding Henry had failed miserably and during the ensuing confrontation, Zelena had deliberately made it sound as though they were in league together.

The hatred he felt for the Witch in that moment almost rivalled that which he'd once felt about Rumplestiltskin.

Thankfully, Emma had defeated Zelena this time and everyone, including Henry, now had all their memories back. Still, it was bittersweet because for all his relief that everything had turned out all right, there was an equal amount of despair at the seemingly insurmountable amount of distrust he now faced.

Emma actually asking if he was working with Zelena had been the hardest blow for him. Did she really not know him at all?

His confession of Zelena's curse only seemed to anger the Saviour further. Even though he'd acted with the best of intentions, he was left in no doubt that withholding such important information was pretty much the death knell in their relationship…such as it was.

Then her parents had accused him of lying about how he received the message to bring their daughter back and although he'd defended himself, he'd known it was for nought. They'd made their decision that he was to blame and he'd not had the stomach to stay and put up with their suspicious looks and barbed comments any longer.

He was just a pirate and always would be in their eyes. That knowledge was what had finally broken him, his heart shattering into a million pieces within his chest as he realised that everyone he'd come to view as friends, family even, would so quickly turn against him. Everything he'd done meant nothing; _he_ meant nothing.

In the end he'd simply walked away, head held high. He hated that there was still the smallest part of him hoping against hope that Emma, _someone_, might call him back…but they hadn't.

He'd wandered around for a while then as always he'd gravitated back to the docks in the hopes that the salty air and soothing sound of the ocean would ease his troubled soul. An hour later he'd given up waiting for the hurt to stop.

Absently he touched a finger to his lips, the ever present tingling a constant reminder that the curse was still in place and that even now he was as much of a danger to Emma as ever. Despite their minor victory, the situation really hadn't changed.

"I've been looking for you," came Emma's cool voice suddenly from behind him.

He tensed having been so caught up in his deliberations that he hadn't heard her coming. Letting his arm drop to his side, he shook his head but refused to turn and look at her.

"Why? Making sure that I'm not planning the next diabolical move with the Wicked Witch?" he retorted unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"No! I _know_ you're not working with her," she refuted immediately, willing him to face her so that he could see her sincerity.

"Really? That's not how it came across to me, love," the pirate goaded.

Emma sighed heavily. She knew she'd hurt him, but his concealment had terrified her and not only because it had forced her to acknowledge just how much he was been willing to sacrifice himself. It had also stirred up too many unhappy memories from her past that had been impossible to ignore and she'd taken it out on him.

"I know. Look, it's just that…for a second there when I heard what Zelena said it was like history repeating itself. I trust someone and they turn out to be not who I thought they were…and you've always been so _different_, so _honest_ with me, but today…today you weren't and I thought you…you were…"

She broke off as the pain of thinking even momentarily that he would betray her like that came back in full force.

"Just like all the rest," he finished for her quietly.

"Yes," she divulged on a whisper.

Shoulders sagging, he closed his eyes and bent his head, her admission doing nothing to help mend his splintered heart.

"Well, if you truly _do_ believe that, Swan, then there's nothing more left to be said between us," he stated dejectedly. "If I've not proved to you by now where my loyalties, my…_heart_ lay then I doubt I ever shall."

Emma drew in a sharp breath not only at his words but also at hearing the immense pain that coloured his tone. He looked so defeated, so _broken_ and it was all down to her and her own insecurities. Somehow she needed to fix this…them. For once, it was _her_ turn to be there for _him_.

Slowly, she walked over and came to a stop by his side. As she stared out across the ocean, she moved her hand until her fingers entwined with his and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You _have_ proved it, Killian. Many times, in many different ways," she assured him quietly before looking over at him and adding, "and as much as I don't agree with how you handled this whole Zelena situation, I know you _believed_ you were doing the right thing...for _all_ of us."

Hook opened his eyes then turned his head to gaze back at her. After all the danger he'd put them in, he could hardly comprehend what she was saying. Having her speak to him so warmly, touch him even, was better than any kind of magical potion he could have taken to heal his battered heart.

"I should have told you," he confessed unhappily.

"Yes, you should," she agreed with a nod, "but we all make mistakes, right?"

"Aye. Some of us more than others," he admitted gravely.

His eyes sought out the ocean again as her words reminded him of the reason behind the Witch's successful duplicity in the first place. The shame and guilt of his treatment of Ariel settled heavily upon him once more and he let out a long sigh.

Emma frowned slightly at his unexpected reaction, the obvious distress on his face causing her to reflexively grip his hand even tighter.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he replied immediately as he returned his gaze to hers, a small, sad smile playing across his lips as he added emotionally, "but not today."

Emma looked back at him a moment then nodded her assent. She understood. He was making her a promise and at the very least, for once, she could do the same for him.

"That's okay, I'm not planning on going anywhere," she told him meaningfully.

Hook swallowed hard and let out a huff of breath at her simple reassurance. There were so many things he wanted to say to her in that moment, so many feelings that demanded to be expressed but he held them all back. Instead he channelled everything into one little word. A word that he knew held a wealth of meaning and promise for them both.

"Good."

End Chapter 7

**Reviews are always very much welcomed :)**


	8. J is for Jewel

**A/N: So sorry for the delay in an update but I wasn't very well and then with all the goodness of the finale and many, _many_, hours spent on Tumblr just scrolling through gif's of that kiss, I have been very remiss in writing this fic!**

**As always, a huge thank you to everyone that has taken the time to write a review. And many thanks to all those that have favourited/followed this story too - I'm glad that you're at least somewhat interested and want to read more. A little note on how I'm doing would be immensely appreciated if you have the time ;)**

CHAPTER 8

**_JEWEL: (noun) __A precious stone, typically a single crystal or piece of a hard lustrous or translucent mineral cut into shape with flat facets or smoothed and polished for use as an ornament._**

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"

The words hung heavily in the air between them as Hook looked over at Emma and noted her worried frown with a pang of guilt.

Currently they were sat in Granny's diner but earlier that evening he'd attended a meeting with her, David, Regina, Robin and Belle to discuss what to do about Zelena.

Belle's research had finally reached fruition when she'd discovered the spell the Witch was intending to cast. She was going to attempt to go back in time in order to stop Regina from being born and all she needed was Snow's baby to complete her list of 'ingredients'. There had been a shocked silence at the announcement of _that_ little revelation until David had forcefully let out an oath that had surprised even Hook.

Belle had been sorry to be the bearer of bad news but had then been able to offer a glimmer of hope as to a way of defeating Zelena. By some fluke, the book she'd found the spell in also contained the knowledge that the jewel in the necklace the Witch wore contained _all_ of her power.

He had perked up at that. If he could destroy that jewel, then her magic would be stripped away and everyone she'd cursed would be free. _He_ would be free and no longer a threat to Emma's magic.

It was too good an opportunity to pass up…in _his_ mind at least.

"You mean now or just in general, Swan?" Hook replied facetiously, trying to dispel the tense mood that had fallen over them both in the diner as she awaited his answer.

"You _know_ what I mean," she retorted with a flash of annoyance. "I saw your face when Belle told us about the jewel. Don't go after Zelena on your own. We'll find a way to defeat her _together_."

Hook let out a heavy sigh and settled back into his seat more comfortably. He should have realised that he wouldn't have been able to hide something like that from Emma. She could read him almost as well as he could her. It was as wonderful as it was frustrating, particularly at times like these.

"Very well," he acquiesced with a shrug of his shoulders.

Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at him suspiciously but whatever she saw there evidently satisfied her scepticism and she visibly relaxed, much to his relief.

"I'm going to get a hot chocolate. You want one?" she asked with a small smile.

"No, thank you," he declined with his own brief smile that faded as soon as she got up and walked over to the counter.

Left with his thoughts, the pirate wondered if Emma would think that semantics were a justifiable excuse for him to still go and destroy the Witch's emerald. She had asked him not to go after _Zelena_; she never mentioned anything about not going after the _necklace_…

It was a weak argument as well he knew, but knowing that Zelena had been so readily prepared to take Henry's life the day before made his resolve even firmer. Even now his stomach turned over and twisted into knots when he thought about what had happened.

He'd become very attached to the lad since their return to Storybrooke and it had scared the life out of him when his pistol had jammed and Henry had almost been killed by one of the Witch's winged monstrosities. Even though he would've physically placed himself between the boy and flying monkey before he let anything happen to him, he would be forever grateful for Emma's impeccable timing…and aim.

The sound of her laughter had him turning his head and he took a moment to simply look at her. Committing her to memory so that if anything bad befell him that night, she would be the last thing he would picture. Of course he no intention of not returning but a man had to be prepared, just in case.

A subtle clearing of a throat drew his attention back to the booth where Robin now sat opposite him. He'd been so enthralled with watching Emma that he'd failed to notice when the archer had joined him.

"I have a proposition for you, Captain," Robin began in a hushed tone as he leaned forward.

Hook's eyes widened and he scratched at the back of his head before replying in amusement, "Well, thanks and all that, mate, but you're not really my type."

The archer looked baffled at his reply for a moment then rolled his eyes and shook his head as he realised the joke.

"I mean about Zelena and that jewel of hers," he clarified quietly.

The pirate darted a quick glance over at Emma and seeing that she was still talking to Charming, he looked back at Robin and nodded his head.

"Go on," he encouraged.

"I am of a mind to go to her house then steal her necklace and destroy the emerald," the thief explained. He paused briefly to ensure no one else was listening then added, "And if I'm not mistaken, I believe that you also wish to do the same."

"Aye," Hook admitted slowly, "you're not mistaken."

"Excellent. Then I propose we join forces and see to it that she doesn't attempt to harm any more of our loved one's."

The pirate drew back his head and stared at the archer silently for a moment as he contemplated his suggestion. He knew Robin had a son and was not willing to enter into any arrangement that would risk the man's life and possibly leave the child an orphan. He knew only too well what that felt like.

On the other hand, if he didn't agree then Robin would likely go ahead with his plan alone anyway.

"Where do you want to meet?" Hook asked, his own scheme taking shape in his head to ensure that Robin didn't make it to Zelena's house after all.

"My camp, say around midnight?" he suggested.

"I'll be there," the pirate agreed.

The thief nodded and gave him a brief smile before departing the booth just as Emma came back. She glanced at Robin's retreating figure then at Hook as she resumed her seat opposite him and set down two cups of hot chocolate.

"Here," she said pushing one of the steaming mugs towards him, "I got you one anyway. I know you like it even if you pretend you don't."

The pirate was touched at her gesture and gave her a smile of thanks before having a taste of the sweet drink.

"So, what were you and Robin talking about just now?" she queried inquisitively, "You two looked thick as thieves sitting here."

He paused in taking a second sip and checked her face to see if there was anything more to her choice of words. When she merely looked at him with an expression of mild curiosity he put the cup back down and leaned back into his seat.

"Maybe that's because we _are_ thieves," the pirate reminded her lightly.

Her brow furrowed at his answer and she tilted her head slightly as she commented in a faintly accusing tone, "And maybe you're being evasive. Is there something going on that I should know about?"

Hook glanced away then looked back at her with a sigh knowing he had to tell her something otherwise she was going to get suspicious.

"Robin and I were simply conversing about our loved one's," he stated casually. "He and I have a lot in common it seems."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologised looking immediately contrite.

He stared at her blankly for a few moments until he suddenly realised that she'd taken his words to mean that he was referring to both the woman that he and Robin had lost long ago.

Unable to stop himself, he slid his hand across the table to where hers rested against her cup and reached out his forefinger to run a gentle caress lightly down her knuckles.

"Don't be; I wasn't talking about Milah," he revealed softly.

Emma's eyes widened a fraction and her cheeks coloured rapidly as his meaning hit home.

"Oh," was all she uttered, but the shy, pleased smile that played along her lips as she ducked her head told him exactly how she felt about his veiled admission.

And hours later that night, as he was down upon his knees with Zelena preparing to end his life, it was _that_ memory of her finally realising his love that gave him peace as everything went black.

END CHAPTER 8

**Let me know what you think :)**


	9. M is for Manipulate

**AN: Huge thanks for all the guests that leave me reviews but I can't reply to - if you sign in then I'll send you my personal thanks :)**

**Amazed at the amount of favourites and followers this little fic has - I really appreciate it :) Sorry for the delay but it's half term in the UK this week and with my children at home, time on the computer is limited at best. I shall make an effort to update quicker when they are back at school :)**

CHAPTER 9

**_MANIPULATE: (verb) Control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly or unscrupulously_**

Hook clung to the tiny thread of consciousness by sheer bloody-minded will.

He felt as if he were drowning. Blackness surrounded him, pulling him under, sinking deeper and deeper into its enticing embrace as he struggled to breathe.

His body was weakening, finding it harder to resist the lure as each second passed, the pain in his lungs intensifying. Face contorting, he clawed uselessly at his throat, desperately trying to find any minute wisp of air that would help him survive just a little longer.

He heard a voice. Muffled as though he was listening to it through layers and layers of cotton wool but still easily recognisable nonetheless.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Dearie."

_Rumplestiltskin_.

Another voice, this time feminine, the Witch no doubt but he couldn't understand what she said. Everything was getting too dark and too quiet. A beautiful peace that beckoned him as his heart continued to slow, barely a beat now. His arm dropped to his side, the last of his energy ebbing away.

Long blonde hair and a shy smile over a hot chocolate filled his mind. The knowledge that he'd not see Emma again was almost as painful as his death was proving to be but he drew comfort from the fact that the Zelena had lost _that_ particular battle. Emma still had her magic and she would eventually beat the damn Witch, of that he was certain.

As everything started to fade, he felt his body give an unexpected lurch and then the choking grip on his throat suddenly disappeared.

Without warning, the blackness surrounding him rapidly changed to a near blinding light. Down on his knees, he fell forward onto his face with a hoarse groan as the magic that had been propping him up abruptly ceased. Opening his mouth, he greedily gasped for much needed air then blinked rapidly against the brightness as he tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurry at first but slowly, everything around him started to come back into focus. Lungs expanding painfully at every inhalation then contracting agonisingly with each exhalation, it was with supreme effort that he raised his head a little and gazed up at Rumplestiltskin and Zelena who were standing nearby. Their faces swam hazily in front of him as he listened to what they said.

"I thought you of all people would be pleased to see the end of him," the Witch commented archly as she gestured towards the pirate at her feet.

"Oh, it doesn't matter to me what you do," the Dark One dismissed callously causing Hook to grit his teeth in anger. "But it'd be a shame to waste that curse of his after all the effort you put in to cast it…don't you think?"

Zelena appeared to contemplate that notion causing Hook's anger to increase.

"I suppose I could let him to live," she allowed albeit grudgingly, a smile suddenly blooming on her lips before she added, "Once Emma knows I've got her pirate she'll try and do what the _Saviour_ supposedly does best."

"That's right, Dearie," Rumplestiltskin concurred almost gleefully. "She's impulsive so all you have to do is sit and wait."

"You bastard!" the pirate rasped, his voice hoarse from the pain still lingering in his throat.

Rumplestiltskin looked over at him with a frown then stepped forward and crouched down in front of the fallen man, blocking Zelena from view.

"I just make certain I'm on the winning side," the Dark One explained to him with a sneer in his voice. Quite unexpectedly, his expression didn't match his tone and he widened his eyes then slid his gaze to a spot on the floor to Hook's right for a moment before looking back at the man. He gave the pirate an almost imperceptible nod of the head then added harshly, "Miss Swan took Bae from me with her meddling. She _will_ pay."

Hook blinked, his mouth compressing in effort not to speak his mind at Rumple's parting shot. The Dark One might have been trying to tell him something but the warning behind his accusation against Emma somehow rang true nonetheless.

Rumplestiltskin stood back up and turned to Zelena keeping the pirate behind him now. Hook slowly turned his head then felt his heart slam into his chest when he spied the Witch's necklace lying just out of reach by his side. He must have dropped it when Zelena had caught him and tried to magically throttle him. He'd been so close, _so_ close to succeeding. The Witch had obviously meant to finish him and that was probably why she hadn't yet retrieved her jewel.

He glanced back up to the two villains and gritted his teeth as they calmly conversed over what way would work best to force Emma to kiss him in order to enact the curse.

Looking back at the gem he began to move his hand out towards it. Inch by agonising inch he moved closer trying not to make any noise that would bring the Witch's attention back to him before he had the chance to grab the necklace.

Rumple was doing a good job at keeping her occupied and despite his misgivings about him, the man seemingly hadn't turned traitor after all.

His fingers suddenly came into contact with the golden chain and after another cursory glance up, he walked his digits along the links in order to pull the pendant towards him.

It was slow and arduous, his breath catching with every little movement causing the ache in his lungs to continue long after it really should. Finally, his fingers knocked against the ornate pendant and with one more tug, his hand wrapped around the smooth gem. Briefly closing his eyes in silent triumph, he suddenly pushed himself back up onto his knees then brought his arm forward and down in a sweeping arc towards the ground.

It wasn't until his hand slammed hard flat upon the floor and the Witch began to laugh mockingly that he realised his fist was empty.

"Nooo!" he shouted in angry frustration as he sat back down on his heels and stared up at Zelena, hatred burning bright in his stormy blue eyes.

"Really Captain, if it wasn't for the curse, I really do wonder what use you are to _anyone_," the Witch proclaimed cruelly as she held up her necklace and dangled it in front of him.

Behind her he saw Rumple close his eyes and shake his head in disappointment that the pirate had failed despite his distraction ploy.

Hook desperately lunged for jewel then stilled and clutched at his throat as he felt the now familiar tightening once more. Eyes widening, he tried to speak as Zelena bent down until she was right in front of his contorted face. She studied him with a delighted little smile for a moment then he drew in a deep breath as the chokehold was suddenly released. He barely had time to take in more than a couple of much needed breaths before the squeezing came again, a little harder this time, a little longer.

Hook tried to stare at her in defiance, his gaze flicking once to Rumple who looked back at him with an expression akin to sympathy.

"He can't help you," she said with a shake of her head, drawing his gaze to hers. "And I'll deal with his little transgression all in good time."

Hook felt his stomach drop when he realised that she knew what Rumple had been up to all along.

It sank even further when her mouth then curled up into a wicked grin and she leaned forward causing a sliver of dread to wend its way up his spine as she whispered in his ear, "Until then, I can do this _all_ night, Captain."

END CHAPTER 9

**As always, keen to hear what you think :)**


	10. I is for Intuition

**AN: Thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter that I couldn't reply to individually - I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. It warms the soul and makes my day :)**

CHAPTER 10

**_INTUITION – (noun) - The ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning._**

Something was wrong.

Horribly wrong.

Emma had had the feeling ever since she'd woken up at stupid o'clock that morning and hadn't been able to shake it since.

The constant butterflies in the stomach that dipped and swirled around and around. Twisting her intestines into a million different knots that she doubted would ever be completely untied.

The tension in her muscles that refused to dissipate no matter how long she stood under the hot cascade of water in the shower.

The ache in her head as she tried to work out what the hell had happened to make her react this way.

The all encompassing, sickening feeling of dread that seemed to start in her heart and radiate outwards until she swore it had wrapped around her very soul.

She and Henry had stayed at her parents loft the night before. With the new threat of the Witch wanting Snow's baby, she'd felt the need to be close to her mother just in case. She'd helped Regina place a protection spell around the small abode and the night had passed peacefully so this feeling she'd awoken with made absolutely no sense.

She had gotten up first up that morning and was ready to go to the diner before anyone else had even dressed. She tried to contain her impatience as the others seemed to take an interminable time to get ready, the only genuine smile she could muster aimed at Henry when he gave her his morning hug.

The unsettled feeling continued to grow and her relief was almost palpable when they finally set off for Granny's. They arrived a short while later, Mary Margaret puffing slightly from the fast pace that the blonde had unconsciously set, and as soon as they entered Emma scanned the room.

She wanted to speak to Hook.

If anyone were capable of making sense of her irrational worries, it'd be him. He always managed to make her feel better no matter what the situation and she was certain that he would have a ready quip or slice of wisdom that would be of immense help. Not that she'd ever let him know that of course.

Her disappointment, therefore, was acute when she realised that the only other people there were the dwarves. She bade them a cursory good morning then followed her family to a booth near the back. Shortly after, Granny placed cups of coffee on their table and she half-smiled her thanks before taking a sip of the strong brew.

"Where's Hook? Isn't he always here by now?" David commented with a slight frown as he looked up from the menu and glanced around the diner.

"Not _always_," Emma immediately contradicted despite her own worries that the pirate was noticeably absent.

"_Usually_, then," the prince countered with a wry smile.

She gave him a tight-lipped smile back and tried to dampen down her escalating concern.

"Are you okay, Emma?" her mother asked suddenly, a slight frown marring her beautiful features.

"Sure," the blonde replied. When Snow continued to stare at her however, Emma let out a heavy sigh and shook her head before admitting, "I don't know, I just have this…_feeling._ Something's not right."

As if confirming her words the door to the diner suddenly flew open and a very bedraggled, but furious looking Robin Hood entered. Glancing around, he spied Emma and the Charming's in their booth and strode over with barely contained ire.

"Where's Hook?" he demanded foregoing any of the usual pleasantries.

Emma's eyebrows rose in surprise. She didn't think there had ever been a time when the thief had referred to Killian as anything other than, Captain. Nor had his manners ever been quite so forgotten.

"I haven't seen him," she replied, the unceasing dread she'd been feeling beginning to intensify.

On closer inspection the thief was quite a sight. There were dry leaves in his hair and sticking to his clothes. A painful looking purple and yellow bruise adorned his left cheek and there were streaks of dirt covering his face.

"What the heck happened to _you_?" Charming asked with a frown.

Robin glanced over at the other man then back to Emma, his expression immediately changing to one of concern, his previous anger apparently forgotten.

"The Captain hasn't returned?" he asked, sounding worried.

"What do you mean, _'returned'_? Emma questioned sharply. "Where is he? What the hell are you talking about?"

Robin held up his hands in supplication at her rising voice and gave her and the others an uneasy look.

"It might be best if we have this conversation somewhere else," he informed them quietly.

"No…" Emma began.

"That's sounds like a good idea," the prince cut in firmly, giving his daughter a pointed look when she turned to him angrily.

"Fine," she huffed, standing up. "Let's go outside."

The two men followed her out and had barely closed the door behind them when she turned then folded her arms across her chest.

"Well?" she snapped.

Robin sighed, obviously not happy with the information he was about to impart.

"Last night I spoke to the Captain and suggested that we try and…_obtain_ the Witch's necklace to destroy it," the thief revealed reluctantly. "He agreed but then knocked me out before we reached her farmhouse. He said that he couldn't allow me to risk my life when I had Roland depending on me."

Emma closed her eyes and tried to keep her suddenly raging emotions in check. She should have known. Of _course_ everything she'd been feeling had been about Killian. It was _always_ about him but she just never wanted to admit that to herself.

"So the damn fool went to Zelena's on his _own_?" Charming clarified disbelievingly.

"I'm going to get him," the Saviour cut in calmly, the determination shining bright in her eyes as she opened them again.

Charming turned to her in surprise then frowned slightly as he shook his head.

"Emma, if he's not back yet…" the prince began sympathetically, leaving the rest of his unhappy thoughts unspoken.

"He's _not_ dead," she refuted sharply then held up her hand to forestall him when he opened his mouth to speak again. "I'm going to get him, David. This ends today. Now. Whether you like it or not."

Her father stared at her for a moment then finally nodded.

"Fine, I'm coming with you but just let me contact Regina first. We might need her."

Emma nodded her assent then turned away and took a deep steadying breath as she focussed inwards and tentatively reached out with her magic. There, at the very edges, she could feel him.

He was still alive and she was going to everything in her power to make sure it stayed that way.

END CHAPTER 10

Reviews are of the good :)


	11. U is for Ultimatum

**AN: Due to all the lovely reviews for the last chapter, I'm putting this up a little earlier than I'd planned to :) Huge thanks to everyone who's keeping with me on this - you all get a big *HUG***

CHAPTER 11

**_ULTIMATUM – (noun) - A final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations_**

"What are you going to do, Emma?" Zelena asked, her voice dripping with false sweetness as it carried on the crisp morning air across the few feet that separated them. "Are you going to give up your magic…or do I kill the good captain here?"

And there it was. Blunt and to the point. The ultimatum that Emma knew had been coming ever since she realised that Zelena had captured the pirate. Behind her Charming, Regina and Robin drew in a collective gasp as her gaze slid to Hook.

The heated glare she'd been giving the Witch was quickly replaced with a concerned expression as she took in his dishevelled state. Rumplestiltskin stood behind him as he attempted to stand up straight but she could tell he was in pain. The lines around his eyes and mouth seemed to be etched deeper than before and his lips had a frighteningly blue tinge to them that spoke of oxygen deprivation. His skin had an unhealthy ashen pallor and the dark, black circles under his unusually dull blue eyes only further confirmed her suspicion that he'd suffered a fair amount of sustained abuse at the Witch's hand.

Killian held her gaze momentarily, the depth of his sorrow for placing her in this predicament clearly evident in his tired eyes. A small sad smile suddenly lifted his lips as he stared at her a little longer before nodding his head slightly then looking away.

He was absolving her from any responsibility she realised. Telling her it was all right. That he was willing to die…for _her_.

Her heart clenched in pain that he believed her magic was more important than him.

How could he be so blind?

She wanted to be angry with the pirate for taking it upon himself to go after Zelena when she'd expressly asked him not to but, in truth, she was still just so overwhelmingly relieved that he was alive.

The mixture of anger and outright terror she'd felt when Robin had revealed what had happened had left her shaky and off kilter. Now, as they stood there facing off against the Witch, Emma knew what she had to do. There wasn't even a need for deliberation because if she hadn't already realised her feelings before she set off to rescue him, she'd have known as soon as she'd seen him standing there ready to forfeit himself.

He meant too much to her for there to be any other decision than the one she'd already made.

She took a step forward but a hand suddenly wrapped around her arm, stopping her from going further.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Regina hissed from by her side.

Emma turned to look at the Queen and frowned slightly.

"I won't let him die," she said determinedly.

"Yes, you _will_," Regina retorted harshly as she tightened her grip. "We _need_ your magic. Sometimes the one has to be sacrificed for the many."

Emma stared at the brunette for a moment then slowly shook her head.

"Not _this_ _one_, Regina," she replied with the conviction of a woman who was finally done with running scared from her feelings.

She went to move again but the Queen refused to relinquish her hold. A flash of anger lit her eyes as Emma went to wrench her arm away but stopped when her father stepped over to them.

"Let her go," he ordered the brunette in a low but resolute voice earning a grateful glance from his daughter.

"Without her magic we can't defeat my sister," Regina reiterated slowly as if talking to a disobedient child.

"Why not?" Emma challenged suddenly as a thought struck. "I'm not the only one with light magic anymore. You have it inside you too, Regina. You used it for Henry; you just need to find it again. _You_ can beat Zelena, I know you can."

"I can't," Regina automatically denied with a vehement shake of her head.

"Yes…you _can_," Robin suddenly endorsed as he moved to the Queen's side.

Regina turned to him and saw the absolute faith he had in her reflected in his warm gaze. Emma noticed the small smile that touched the other woman's lips at his conviction then the Queen looked back at her, a warm glow colouring her cheeks. After a few moments she finally nodded.

"Very well, Miss. Swan, I'll try," she promised quietly before releasing Emma's arm.

The blonde gave her a brief smile then took a deep breath and glanced at David who gave her a nod of encouragement. Turning back, she began to walk steadily towards the as yet unknowing pirate.

"I knew you'd see it my way, Emma," Zelena commented with a satisfied smile.

The Saviour scowled briefly at the Witch then looked back at Hook who was now staring at her in disbelief. His eyes widened immediately when he realised her intent and then began to shake his head in negation.

"No, Swan, don't do it," he appealed, the tremor in his voice belying his fear and pain. "Don't do this."

"It's okay," she assured him with a smile as she drew closer.

"No, it's _not_," he refuted harshly as he automatically took a step backwards. "You need to beat the Witch."

"We will," she promised as she finally stepped into his personal space.

He took another step back then turned his head away and compressed his mouth into a tight line.

Unsurprisingly, Zelena wasn't about to let him stall any longer when she was so close to obtaining her goal.

"Rumple," she called out in a sing-song voice.

Hook let out an anguished yell as his head snapped back around to face Emma and he found his body held in an immobile spell. Desperation clawed at his insides as he tried to move but to no avail. Unbidden tears suddenly blurred his vision as the devastating realisation that he was going to be the downfall of the woman he loved more than life itself wretchedly became all too real.

"No, Emma, please," he begged frantically, the veins protruding in his neck where he desperately fought with all this strength to break his invisible bonds.

She reached out to gently cup each side of his face with her hands and felt her own tears begin to form but she blinked them back. Deliberately hardening her expression, she shot the Wicked Witch a withering glare.

"You won't hurt him if I do this, right?" she wanted to know.

"Of course," Zelena immediately concurred with an evil grin.

Emma eyed her for a moment longer the turned back to Killian and smiled tremulously as she moved even closer. He looked so completely shattered at what she was about to do that her heart broke a little for him.

"It's okay, Killian, I _want_ to do this," she told him again, hoping he'd believe her.

"Please don't, love. I'm not worth it," he whispered brokenly.

His words tore at her heart and she tenderly brushed away a lone tear that had escaped down his wan cheek.

"To me you are," she whispered back lovingly.

He let out a little gasp of surprise then her own tears started to fall as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

As quick as it had begun it was over. The force of the magic leaving her body in such a rush that it pushed her away from him before he even had a chance to respond or even comprehend what she'd done.

There was a stunned expression on her face and he closed his eyes, not wanting to watch when she came to the sudden realisation that she'd made a mistake letting go of her gift for him after all.

"I'm sorry, Emma, I'm so sorry," he muttered unhappily over and over again.

"Don't worry, Captain, you'll soon be out of your misery," threatened Zelena unexpectedly. The Saviour snapped out of her daze and looked over at the Witch sharply, her mouth dropping open in shock as the other woman added airily, "Kill him, Rumple."

"What? No! You said you wouldn't hurt him," Emma exclaimed angrily, trying to dampen down a sudden surge of panic. "I did what you wanted now let him go."

"I said _I_ wouldn't hurt him, Emma. Really, haven't you learned by now that you should make certain of _all_ the facts before being so trusting?" Zelena goaded triumphantly.

Rumplestiltskin took a couple of steps towards Hook and Emma immediately lunged out in order to stop him but he merely flicked his wrist at her and she went sailing through the air. She landed a short distance away and Charming rushed over to quickly help her to her feet but by the time she turned back, it was too late.

Watching in horror, she had just enough time to share one last tear filled charged look with Killian before his features went slack and he crumpled to the ground in a heap.

END CHAPTER 11

**Think I'll go and hide now... :0**


	12. E is for Empty

**AN: Note to self - kill off Killian and get loads of reviews! Must remember that, LOL! Wow! Thank you all for your fabulous reviews and comments - I shall answer every one that has signed in and give thanks here to all the 'guests' :)**

**This chapter is really just a drabble but enjoy...**

CHAPTER 12

**_EMPTY – (adjective) - Containing nothing_**

"No!"

Emma didn't shout it. It wasn't a long drawn out cry of despair. There were no desperate or useless pleas to come back to her; to not leave her.

It was just a simple and quite heartbroken denial of what she'd not a second before borne witness to.

Killian was gone.

A numbness took hold of her body. Shock most likely. Like a protective cocoon of nothingness that stopped her feeling _anything_ in that moment.

There was no anger, no tears, no lingering hope…just acceptance.

Deep down she'd known this would happen. As the Saviour she didn't get to have a happy ending. That's why she'd fought so hard not to fall in love with the pirate.

But it was a battle she'd lost long ago she suddenly realised and now _he'd_ paid the price.

Her little epiphany would've scared her if he were still alive, but as it was it meant naught.

Later, much later when she allowed herself to feel again she knew she would regret every single damn time that she'd pushed him away.

She would cry over the realisation that she'd never again see his expressive cerulean eyes directed at her with such warmth and love that it almost always took her breath away.

She'd lament the fact that she'd never get to hear the rich timbre of his voice telling her exactly what she needed to hear, good or bad, just once more.

She'd just _mourn_ _him_.

But right now, as she stood staring down at the fallen man, all she felt was hollow. Like someone had sucked the very essence out of her body just as Zelena's curse had sucked out her magic.

She moved her hand to her chest and tightly clutched her coat where it lay over heart. It had shattered the moment Killian had hit the ground and now there was nothing left but a huge gaping hole, not only in her body, but also in her life.

There would be a time, maybe in a second, a minute, an hour when she'd have to face up to all the emotions that she knew were being kept at bay but until then she wanted to stay like this…

She wanted to just stay empty.

END CHAPTER 12

**Any comments are welcome as always :) Do hope I can write happier stuff soon ;)**


	13. Z is for Zelena

**AN: Huge thanks to everyone that continues to leave reviews for this story - you're all bloody brilliant ;)**

**Sorry this chapter was a little longer to post than planned but hope you enjoy it anyway :)**

CHAPTER 13

**_ZELENA – (name) – Greek variation of Selena meaning 'moon goddess' or Bosnian for 'green'._**

"Emma," Charming called to her in concern, only to be cut off by the loud gleeful laugh of Zelena echoing around the small clearing.

When there was no reaction whatsoever from his daughter, the prince stepped forward and held up his sword ready to protect her from whatever the Witch planned next. He glanced over at the blonde and saw that her gaze was still fixed on the fallen pirate.

The vacant expression her eyes worried him and he placed a hand on her arm then said her name again, trying to reach her through the blanket of shock she seemed shrouded in.

Regina and Robin hurried over to join them, the archer levelling his crossbow while the Queen took on a defensive stance surrounding the broken woman as Zelena approached.

"Emma," Charming said harshly as he gave her a hard shake. "Are you willing to let his death be for nothing? This still isn't over. He'd expect you to fight…and so do I."

The blonde stared at him then suddenly blinked and nodded her head. He felt relief wash over him as the blankness seemed to recede from her eyes. He could've done without witnessing the obvious pain that replaced it but at least she was back with them for now. He had a feeling she would need her wits about her, as would they all.

"My, my, my, so many happy endings to destroy, so little time," the Witch commented archly as she surveyed them disdainfully. Her gaze settled on the prince before goading, "And speaking of _time_, when is your dear wife going to have that baby of hers? I'm growing impatient to be an only child."

Regina visibly bristled at her remark and stepped forward before Charming could reply.

"You took the words right out of my mouth sister, _dearest_," she sneered before quickly raising her hands and sending out a blast of purple magic.

Zelena merely laughed as she easily deflected it then sent back a powerful green shot of her own. Regina gasped at the sudden pain and doubled over as Robin rushed to her side.

"Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"Oh, aren't _you_ adorable?" Zelena goaded nastily. "Don't get too attached to her, dear, she's not going to be around for much longer."

She raised her hands and thinking that she was going to release another blast of magic, Robin levelled his crossbow and let loose a bolt. The Witch's eyes widened for a moment then with a quick flick of her wrist she flipped the projectile and sent it hurtling back towards him. Charming lunged and tried to jerk him out of the way but it wasn't quite far enough and the archer let out a cry of agony as the bolt embedded itself in his left shoulder.

Regina let out a gasp of horror then turned a malevolent gaze on her sister. She could feel the magic raging through her body but knew it wasn't the kind she needed to defeat Zelena. The more she searched within herself for the light, the darker her thoughts seemed to go.

"Focus, Milady, I know you can do this," Robin rasped out through his pain.

Emma couldn't stop the small involuntary gasp she emitted at the familiarity of the archer's words. Killian had said the same to her when she needed it most. She just hoped Robin's belief helped Regina as much as Hook's helped her. _Had _helped her.

She turned her gaze to the Queen and saw her close her eyes for a moment then open them again and look down at her hands with a smile of amazement that quickly turned onto smug satisfaction. Emma saw the light magic crackling on the other woman's fingertips and despite her heavy heart her mouth lifted into a small smile.

The pulse of blinding magic that burst forth from Regina was enough to knock Zelena off of her feet and send her sprawling onto the ground. The Witch recovered quickly but the expression of rage and shock on her face was almost laughable.

"No! That's not possible," she cried in disbelief.

"Apparently, it is," Regina declared arrogantly.

Zelena's eyes narrowed at this latest development and muttered something to herself. Suddenly the air surrounding them was filled with a dreadful shrieking and a rush of wind. Looking up the small band of heroes saw the sky darken as a large flock of flying monkeys appeared, coming in low and fast.

Emma drew her gun and glanced over at the Queen as the others, including Robin as best he could, readied their own weapons as well.

"We've got this, Regina. Make sure Zelena doesn't get away. You've got to end it before it's too late," the blonde said then turned and let off a couple of shots. She watched one of the monstrosities disintegrate in flames then glanced back at the Queen who was already marching purposefully over to her sister.

Zelena quickly stood up but before she could vanish in a puff of emerald smoke, Regina sent out another blast of white magic and sent her back down to the ground once more. This time, the jolt of her body hitting the grassy floor was enough to dislodge Rumplestiltskin's dagger from her grasp and it bounced a short distance away.

With the light magic seemingly quelling her own abilities, the Witch had to resort to desperately scrambling across the clearing in order to retrieve the weapon but she wasn't quite quick enough.

Rumplestiltskin beat her to it.

Zelena pushed up onto her hands and knees then looked up at the Dark One. For the first time there was real fear in her eyes as he gave her an evil smile. Shaking her head, she slowly stood and began to back away.

"What are you going to do?" she asked shakily.

"Take a wild guess," he replied flippantly with an exaggerated twirl of his hands.

"No, wait," called Regina as she hurried up to them both, "you don't have to hurt her…"

"Oh, yes I _do_, Dearie," Rumple rebuked with conviction before grabbing hold of Zelena's arm and tugging her to him.

With a flick of his wrist the heavy jewelled necklace suddenly fell from the Witch's throat and landed with a dull thud upon the earth before both he and Zelena disappeared in a puff of red smoke.

A sudden silence fell over the clearing as the screeching of the monkeys ceased. Regina picked up the necklace then turned around to see several of the townsfolk restored to their human selves, including Robin's good friend John who had nearly been decapitated by the prince.

"Where's Zelena?" Emma asked as she approached the Queen and warily looked around for the Witch.

"The Dark One took her," Regina divulged quietly as she held up the necklace for Emma to see. She frowned slightly, her conflicted feelings obvious on her face as she added, "He's back in possession of his dagger."

The Saviour's eyes widened at the implication then her expression hardened and she gave the woman a quick nod before Regina walked away, no doubt to check on Robin. She knew what would happen to the Witch now but Emma couldn't find it within herself to feel anything other than relieved. The wicked woman had taken two people she loved from her; she'd nearly taken Henry too, not to mention her as yet unborn sibling. She knew she should feel some kind of regret for what was clearly in store for Zelena and probably in time she might. At the end of the day, she didn't condone cold-blooded murder no matter how evil the person was but right in that moment Emma simply felt a sense of justice settle over her.

Sometimes people just didn't get to have a second chance.

Not even the one's that worked so hard towards it; that deserved it because of all the good they had done to atone for what they considered their wrong doings of the past.

Of its own volition her gaze sought out the man still lying prone on the ground a couple of feet away. Slowly, she walked over to him and stared down, the pain of Killian's passing suddenly hitting her square in the chest. Sinking to her knees by his side, she reached out as the first of her tears started to fall and gently turned him over. Her hand shook a little as she smoothed his soft raven hair back from his face then trailed her fingers down his cold cheek. He looked so peaceful she realised dimly. She would try and take some comfort from that later if nothing else.

The tears came faster and she roughly brushed them away as she failed miserably to contain the harsh, gut wrenching sobs that had suddenly taken hold. Everything closed in on her making it hard to breathe as she clutched at his shirt and bent her head, squeezing her eyes shut against the pain, the hurt…against _reality_. Biting her bottom lip, she desperately tried to rein in her grief before it completely took her over. She didn't want to do this now with everyone watching.

"Emma," came her father's quiet voice but she quickly shook her head when he touched her on the shoulder and after a moment he pulled back with a sigh and said quietly, "We should take him back."

"I know," she whispered, not willing to let go of him just yet.

She barely noticed the shift in the air that announced something magical was about to happen until something light but hard bounced off the top of her head and landed with a tiny metallic clink against the top clasp of Killian's black waistcoat.

Looking up, she blinked rapidly and let out an unladylike sniff before hesitantly reaching out to pick up the needle-like object. Holding it aloft she stared at it in bewilderment, a frown appearing on her tear streaked cheeks.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, her voice still too full of emotion as she looked over at the others.

"That's mine, Miss. Swan," said Regina quietly after a moments pause and Emma was shocked to see a little smile form on the Queen's lips. "Zelena took it from me in the Enchanted Forest and I'm assuming that Gold somehow stole it from her and used it on Hook."

"What is it?" she demanded to know.

"It's the answer to all your wishes," the brunette replied cryptically as her smile widened.

Emma felt a prick of annoyance at the Queen's demeanour. She was in no mood for playing games.

"And what exactly does _that_ mean?" she snapped only to inhale sharply the next second at Regina's unexpected reply.

"It means that if I'm right, your boyfriend isn't dead after all. He's merely asleep. The question is…can you wake him up?"

END CHAPTER 13

**AN: I'm sure most of you guessed but please let me know what you thought anyhow :)**


	14. F is for Faith

**AN: Big hugs and thanks to all that have reviewed so far and especially to those that keep reviewing - you're all stars :)**

**I'm going away in three weeks and just realised that I have another 12 chapters of this fic to go! I'm going to do my absolute best to get this all up before I leave as there won't be internet connection where I'm going - I know that probably sounds a little dubious but honestly, I'm just going to Dorset and the place we're staying at doesn't have Wifi, (I don't think) LOL!**

**Anyhoo, hope you enjoy this one for now.**

CHAPTER 14

**_FAITH (Leap of) – (noun) An act of believing in or attempting something whose existence or outcome cannot be proved or known._**

Snow looked up when the door to the loft flew open and let out an involuntary gasp when the small band of heroes stumbled in. Charming had called ahead and she'd asked Ruby to look after Henry at the diner while she'd hurried home.

Although her husband had given her a quick rundown of all that had happened, she still wasn't really prepared to see the abject misery that swam in the red and puffy eyes of her daughter.

"Oh, Emma, come here," she said as she opened her arms and pulled the young woman into the comfort of her warm embrace.

The blonde immediately returned her hug and buried her face in her mother's neck as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall yet again.

"Regina's gone to the hospital with Robin," Charming explained before glancing back at Little John who was standing on the threshold with Hook's still lifeless body slung over his shoulder. "Let's put him on the couch."

"No," Emma objected suddenly as she pulled away from Snow and looked over at her father, "Put him in my old room."

Charming gave her a sad smile then nodded and helped the larger man carry the pirate up the stairs. She followed behind and watched as they laid him carefully onto her bed then John gave her a nod as he walked back out.

"I'm going to try and find Gold. See what he's done to Zelena, "announced Charming before placing a tender kiss to Emma's temple and one to his wife's lips before, he too, left.

Only Snow remained, her concerned gaze drifting between her daughter and the pirate as the silence stretched on.

"It didn't work," Emma finally said in a small voice.

Snow let out a sigh then moved closer and wrapped her arm around her daughter's waist just trying to lend her strength.

"Are you sure he's under a sleeping curse?" she asked.

"Regina seems pretty certain," Emma answered with a sniffle.

She drew in a deep breath then exhaled sharply before pulling away from her mother to start pacing around the room in agitation.

It had been instinctual to kiss Hook once Regina had told her he was only asleep. Maybe it was the relief that he wasn't actually dead that had fuelled it or the fact that everyone had stared at her expectantly, just waiting for her to plant a True Love's Kiss on the pirate's lips so that all would be right with the world again.

Except it hadn't been. Even when she'd tried a second time and shook his unresponsive body and all but begged for him to come back to her, it still hadn't worked. The sympathetic, almost disappointed expressions on all their faces, including Regina's, had made her feel a complete and utter failure.

She'd failed at being the Saviour and more importantly, she'd failed Killian.

"God, why did I even try?" she huffed out, suddenly angry. "I mean it's not like he ever told me how he felt. We never talked about…whatever the hell it is…_was_ that was between us, so why would I be crazy enough to think I'd be able to break the stupid curse?"

"Do you _really_ need to hear the words to know what's in Killian's heart, Emma?" Snow asked softly, causing her daughter to stop and look at her. The brunette smiled a little and shook her head, adding, "Have you even taken the time to let down those walls of yours to listen to your own?"

Emma looked down self-consciously and her mother walked over. She grasped her daughter's hands and couldn't help but notice the obvious trepidation in the blonde's face.

"Of course it didn't work. How could it? You need to open your heart fully to let out all that love I know is inside. You have to _believe_ in yourself and him, whether you're certain of having that love returned or not. Sometimes…sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith."

Emma knew her mother was right but she was never one to go blindly into anything especially when it came to her feelings. Life had taught her harsh lessons when it came to romantic relationships and _boy _had she learned them.

"But what if I do that and it still doesn't work"? Emma whispered as she raised her head and revealed her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she voiced her deepest fear.

Her mother was quiet for a moment then a resolve lit her eyes and she replied honestly, "Then it's just not meant to be."

The blonde felt her stomach roll queasily at Snow's answer and she took a steadying breath to try and quell the feeling. It wasn't what she wanted to hear but there was a part of her that was grateful for her candour. Giving her false hope would be far worse.

Biting her bottom lip worriedly, her gaze slid to the pirate. She'd gone through so many emotions during the past few hours that she hardly knew where to start in sorting everything out, but she was certainly going to try. It was long past time that she needed to face up to her feelings where he was concerned and although she wished it was under different circumstances, she found the thought of it wasn't as daunting as she'd expected.

Her mother must have seen something of her internal musings in her expression because she smiled then proposed lightly, "Why don't you stay here while I go and make us some tea. Take your time, it'll be ready when you are."

Emma nodded automatically, her eyes never leaving the unmoving figure on the bed even when the door to the room opened then shut with a soft click. She was grateful for the time alone. Moving forward, she sat down on the edge of the bed next to Killian and gently took his hand in hers.

Tilting her head, her gaze roamed slowly over his face and for the first time she allowed her thoughts to drift back over all their encounters. The times he'd been there for her, come back for her, fought for her…and her family. His unrelenting honesty, even when he probably knew she wouldn't particularly like him for it. His, at times, thinly veiled admissions that she chose to ignore just because it suited her.

The evidence of his feeling had been in front of her the whole time just waiting for her to embrace if only she'd let herself.

Her mother was right; she didn't need to hear the words.

But what about her own feelings?

She knew she'd deliberately tried to keep her heart detached as best as she could. Protected herself against the day he'd inevitably leave because that's just what all men did to her; too scared to let him close because deep down she'd known it would crush her entirely.

And what good had it done her?

All of her pathetic defensive walls had quickly crumbled to dust at her feet the moment she'd thought he'd died anyway, leaving behind the torturous mind game of 'what if'' and 'maybe' in its wake.

She hadn't realised what it had meant then, in the middle of all that pain and grief but now, after speaking to her mother, it was all becoming astoundingly clear. Somewhere along the line her heart had been breached and it had already been too late.

Letting out a little sigh, she wondered just when the hell she'd actually fallen in love with Killian Jones without even knowing it.

Determinedly allowing herself to just _feel_ and not think for once, she wasn't as shocked as she ought to have been when she acknowledged that he'd been slowly creeping in and had taken up far more residence in her heart than she'd ever expected.

All the little things that had happened between them, the times she'd tried to comfort him either through awkward words or a simple touch, it all suddenly made sense to her now. It had been her heart's attempt at reaching out to him in blatant defiance of her brain's refusal to. She'd been so stubbornly blind to the truth of her own affections that it was no wonder that the kisses never worked.

She'd been such a fool.

But not any more.

Taking a deep breath, she stared down at the pirate with a smile as she finally opened her heart to everything she'd been keeping at bay. She let out an involuntary gasp as she literally _felt_ the love flowing out warm and pure and wonderfully frightening in its intensity; spreading through her body like wildfire desperate in its need to consume her very soul now that it was allowed free rein. A tiny bubble of laughter escaped her lips at the overwhelming _rightness_ of it all and she shook her head at her own stupidity.

Thank God she was lucky enough to have a second chance with him.

All it'd take was a kiss and she had every faith that the third time she tried it would be the charm.

END CHAPTER 14

**Reviews always welcome. Next chapter K is for Kiss probably won't be that long in length unsurprisingly ;)**


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